Fish Cages - General Information 

Over the last 15 years, fish farms in north Eilat Bay have bred fish in tanks.  They have raised approximately 2,500 tons of Denis fish annually. The fish farms consume around 5,000 tons of food annually, which is discharged into the water of the Bay of Eilat. This enormous amount of food, some of which cannot be digested by the fish, combined with the natural fish secretions, cause contamination of the Bay water of thousands of tons of waste every year.

According to an international scientific report, the fish tanks are the main polluters of Eilat Bay, and approximately 97% of the nutrients and nitrates released into the Bay originate from the fish tanks.
 

The process of the reproduction of the fish cages:
Fish cages in the Bay water began as an experiment conducted by the institute of Oceanographic and Limnological Research, intended to develop a technology for breeding seawater fish in land-based tanks. After the technology was developed, the institute of Oceanographic and Limnological Research made an agreement with two commercial corporations – "Ardag" and "Dag Suf" - who, since 1995, commercially breed sea fish.  Today, production reaches 2,500 tons of fish annually. 

Fish cages operating without a license:
Fish tanks are operated today without a business license, and without permits granted by planning organizations. The land-based tanks exist by virtue of an exceptional permit, which has been extended repeatedly and expired few months ego. The cages were installed without a proper survey of their environmental impact, and by exploiting the fact that the project is part of an experiment of the institute of Oceanographic and Limnological Research.

The territory on which the fish cages are located:
The area where the cages are located is a 'port' area pursuant to the port ordinance, namely, an area which belongs to the port authorities. The leasing contract with the port of Eilat has already expired.  In addition, the fish cages operate today without a business license and the land-based devices continue to exist by virtue of an exceptional permit. At the beginning of September 2003, the port authorities filed a dispossession suit – an eviction suit – against the fish cages that exist in the Bay water without a contract. 

Environmental impacts:
- The fouling of the seawater prevents the penetration of sunrays and harms the photosynthesis process of the marine creatures that rely on it.
- The refuse sinks to the bottom of the sea and forms layers of germs that attack the marine creatures that live beneath the cages.
- The congestion in the cages encourages breakouts of diseases and the development of parasites that are being transferred to the wild fish.
- Since the source of the Denis fish is the Mediterranean, the escape of fish from the cages violates the ecological balance of the Red Sea.
- About 70% of the coral reef was extinct and the whole reef is under immediate collapse.

The alternative: raising fish in land-based pools:
It is well known that there are other profitable ways to raise fish that do not require cages in the sea that contaminate the Bay water. According to studies and field research, many places across the world find solutions by setting up farms using land-based pools, and known technology for fish farm operations.  These strategies and methods can certainly be adjusted to conditions in Israel. The alternative of raising fish in land-based pools is known to fish growers and decision makers. However, for the easy profit, and at the expense of polluting the Bay, they refuse to use them. This is the alternative to save Eilat Bay from the severe pollution caused by the fish cages, without impinging opun the livelihood of thousands of people who make their living from tourism in Eilat or the fish growers themselves.

Advantages to raising fish in land-based pools:
Fish growers in Israel benefit from customs protection of about 30%, thus, the price of fish in Israel is higher. In addition, the tax authorities assure relative price stability for the long term, which enables the planning of the turnover growth.
The conversion to land – based breeding will not hurt the livelihood of Eilat residents but will contribute to it. Today, only 30 workers are employed in the existing farms. In the land - based farms, the number of workers would be higher, their quality will be better, and apparently it will not be possible to employ only foreign workers.

The decision of the national council of planning and design
Following lengthy procedures in the various planning institutions in Israel and following the position paper prepared by the international expert team, the national council of planning and design – the supreme planning institution in Israel - decided to approve the project outline of Eilat coastline. This project refuses to approve the existence of fish cages in the Bay of Eilat and holds that the growing of fish should be transferred from the sea to land - based pools. Growing fish in land - based pools was done successfully and commercially worldwide. On June 2003, the national council reapproved its decision after it was required to discuss it again. Following a series of hearings and meetings with all the concerned bodies, and following the receipt of numerous opinions, it was held that the national council recommendation are valid and should not be changed - the place of the fish cages should be outside the Bay water. According to the planning process, this decision is pending final approval by the government of Israel.