EXPERIMENTAL REARING OF TWO MULLET SPECIES MUGIL

BULL. INST. OCEAN. & FISH., A.R.E. VOL. 4, 1974
EXPERIMENTAL REARING OF TWO MULLET SPECIES MUGIL
CEPHALUS AND MUGIL CAPITO IN EGYPTIAN FISH FARMS
By
A.M. EISAWY, M.M. ISHAK AND A. HAMZA
Institute of Ooeanography & Fisheries Academy of Soientific
Reeearch. and Teohnology, Cairo, A.R.E.

INTRODUCTION
Fish as a source of protein for human consumption is essential to help
considerably in correcting the state of malnutrition, especiallyin densly populated countries where the production of animal protein is either expensive or
comparatively low (Borgstrom, 1961 and Guha, 1962).
In Egypt, fish production from water masses is not sufficient to provide
all the protein requirements mainly due to the obvious decline in the fishery
resources of the Mediterranean and as a result of the present prevailing conditions in the Red Sea. Therefore, fish production is to be obtained from
two main sources : (1) extending the marine fisheries into areas outside the
continental shelf (the high seas) and (2) the full utilization of the inland waters,
i.e. lakes, ponds and streams for maximum fish production by means of developed techniques of fish culture.
The progres and development of fish culture in different parts of the
world has been reviewed by several investigators (Shaperclaus, 1993;
Drews, 1961 ; Tarnura, 1961; Hickling, 1962; Hora and Pillay,
1962 ; Pillay, 1966 and Yashouv, 1966). Fish culture is well established in
Asia and the Far East where several species of fish are reared by means of
hybridization such as Tilapia spp, induced breeding of carps (Galta ealta,
Labeo rohita, Girrhina miragla and the chinese carps, namely Gtenopharyngodon idella, Hypothalmiohthys molitrix and Aristichthys nobilis), and the
common carp besides Anguilla spp. In Europe, several specieshave been used
for fish culture which include the common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., the
tench (Tinea titlea), the pike (Eseox lueius), the pike-perch (Stizostedion lucioprrca), Tilapia spp, the grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) and the rainbow trout
(Salmo gairdnerii). In Africa, fish culture has not yet been fully developed
though there exists a commense area of inland waters that are very productive
and are most suitable for the raising of fish.
In Egypt, recently, attention has been paid to develop fish culture by
means of research aiming to obtain the highest possible yields of fish from
ponds. The research activity included the use of the fast growing fish,
supplementary feeding, the USf’ of fertilizers and proper management of fi h
ponds.
The grey rnullets (Mugil cephalus Risso. and Mugil capita Guv.) are
considered highly valued fish food in Egypt. They are also the most important salt water fishes used for culture either in brackish or fresh waters. Mul1e