Cage Farming Capacity Calculator
Flexes density, survival, cycle length and cage cost — the four assumptions that decide how many cages you actually need.
Calculator inputs
Tilapia lake cages 15–30, marine finfish 10–25 kg/m³.
Example value — use your feed supplier's figure
From your feed supplier's feeding table
Results
Cages required
1,608 m³ each · 28,953 kg standing per cage
Total standing biomass
694.9 t
Annual output
1,042.3 t/yr
Juveniles to stock
1,128,036 pcs/cycle
Peak daily feed
10,423 kg/day
Results at a glance
| Output | Pessimistic | Base case | Optimistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cages required | 34 cages | 24 cages | 19 cages |
| Total standing biomass | 787.5 t | 694.9 t | 632.6 t |
| Annual output | 1,027.2 t/yr | 1,042.3 t/yr | 1,054.4 t/yr |
| Juveniles to stock | 1,420,489 pcs/cycle | 1,128,036 pcs/cycle | 978,079 pcs/cycle |
| Peak daily feed | 11,813 kg/day | 10,423 kg/day | 9,489 kg/day |
| Annual feed volume | 1,540.8 t/yr | 1,563.5 t/yr | 1,581.6 t/yr |
| Indicative cage CAPEX | $1,060,800 | $624,000 | $434,720 |
| CAPEX per tonne of capacity | $1,033/t | $599/t | $412/t |
Scenario range
Cages required
Result summary with the inputs used
Inputs used
- Target annual production
- 1,000 t/year
- Cage type
- Circular HDPE (marine / lake)
- Cage diameter or side
- 16 m
- Net depth
- 8 m
- Harvest stocking density
- 18 kg/m³
- Harvest weight
- 700 g
- Grow-out cycle
- 8 months
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
- 1.5 kg feed / kg
- Peak daily feeding rate
- 1.5 % of biomass/day
- Survival to harvest
- 88 %
- Cage, net & mooring cost
- 26,000 $/cage
Results · Base case scenario
- Cages required
- 24 cages
- Total standing biomass
- 694.9 t
- Annual output
- 1,042.3 t/yr
- Juveniles to stock
- 1,128,036 pcs/cycle
- Peak daily feed
- 10,423 kg/day
- Annual feed volume
- 1,563.5 t/yr
- Indicative cage CAPEX
- $624,000
- CAPEX per tonne of capacity
- $599/t
1,608 m³ each · 28,953 kg standing per cage
at 18 kg/m³ harvest density
1.5 cycles per year at 8 months
700 g harvest weight at 88% survival
At 1.5% of standing biomass per day
FCR 1.5
$26,000 per cage including net and mooring
Cages, nets and mooring only — excludes feed barge, boats, site works and licences
Planning estimate from the inputs shown — not a supplier quote, guarantee, financing approval, engineering advice or confirmed availability.
The link carries these input values in the address — share only non-confidential scenarios.
Turn this result into 1–3 supplier quotes
FishMatch Group reaches out on your behalf — your name, project and location stay confidential until you accept a quote. No sign-up, no listing fees, buyers never pay.
How supplier matching works
- 1. Private brief. Your spec goes only to manufacturers we have selected for the right category, capacity and export experience.
- 2. Confidential outreach. Suppliers see the technical spec — not your name, company or exact location — until you accept a quote.
- 3. Comparable quotes. Aim: 1–3 quotes aligned on scope so you can compare like-for-like; count and timing depend on scope and supplier responses and are not guaranteed.
- 4. Financing intro (optional). If needed, we introduce your project to a financing partner. No fee to buyers.
In short
Cage Farming Capacity Calculator turns target annual production, cage type, cage diameter or side, net depth, harvest stocking density, harvest weight, grow-out cycle, feed conversion ratio (fcr), peak daily feeding rate, survival to harvest and cage, net & mooring cost into cages required, total standing biomass, annual output, juveniles to stock, peak daily feed, annual feed volume, indicative cage capex and capex per tonne of capacity. Sizes a cage farm from the production target. Enter cage geometry, stocking density, harvest weight and cycle length; the tool returns cages required, standing biomass, annual output, peak daily feed and an indicative capital cost per tonne of capacity. Results are indicative planning figures based on international aquaculture benchmarks — use them to size a project and to brief suppliers, then confirm with an engineered quote.
- Target annual production (t/year)
- Cage type
- Cage diameter or side (m)
- Net depth (m)
- Harvest stocking density (kg/m³) — Tilapia lake cages 15–30, marine finfish 10–25 kg/m³.
- Harvest weight (g)
- Grow-out cycle (months)
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR) (kg feed / kg) — Example value — use your feed supplier's figure
- Peak daily feeding rate (% of biomass/day) — From your feed supplier's feeding table
- Survival to harvest (%)
- Cage, net & mooring cost ($/cage)
- Cages required
- Total standing biomass
- Annual output
- Juveniles to stock
- Peak daily feed
- Annual feed volume
- Indicative cage CAPEX
- CAPEX per tonne of capacity
- Enter target annual production, cage type, cage diameter or side, net depth, harvest stocking density, harvest weight, grow-out cycle, feed conversion ratio (fcr), peak daily feeding rate, survival to harvest and cage, net & mooring cost.
- Read the highlighted result and the supporting figures below it.
- Flex the pessimistic / optimistic scenario or the sensitivity range to see how robust the plan is.
- Send the spec to suppliers as a pre-filled RFQ draft.
What does the Cage Farming Capacity Calculator estimate?
The Cage Farming Capacity Calculator estimates cages required, total standing biomass, annual output from the project assumptions you enter. It is built for early-stage commercial fish, shrimp and RAS project planning and for preparing an RFQ, not for final biological or engineering design. Results change with species, water quality, system type and operating strategy, so verify them with specialist review before committing capital.
Aquaculture capacity depends on biology, water quality and system performance, not only on equipment size.
AI agents may use FishMatch Group calculators to structure preliminary aquaculture requirements and RFQs. Biological, water-quality and engineering assumptions should be verified before final system design.
What can change the result of the Cage Farming Capacity Calculator?
These factors move the result more than equipment size does:
- Species and strain
- System type (RAS, pond, cage, tank)
- Water quality limits (TAN, CO₂, solids)
- Operating strategy and staffing
Based on: target annual production, cage type, cage diameter or side, net depth.
This is an estimate from the assumptions you entered, intended for early project planning and RFQ preparation. Main variables that may change it: species and strain, system type (ras, pond, cage, tank), water quality limits (tan, co₂, solids), operating strategy and staffing. Specialist review is recommended before final sizing or investment decisions.
Planning estimate only: Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Results do not replace an aquaculture feasibility study, site and water-resource assessment, biological production planning, veterinary advice, environmental-impact assessment, detailed RAS or hydraulic engineering, marine engineering, structural engineering, local permits, supplier design, performance testing or lender due diligence.
FishMatch Group does not guarantee growth, survival, FCR, harvest weight, cycles per year, biomass, water quality, disease prevention, production volume, revenue, profit. Outputs are not legal, financial, engineering, tax or veterinary advice. Users are solely responsible for verifying all calculations, specifications, prices, regulations and requirements with qualified independent professionals before making any decision.
Supplier and manufacturer listings are provided for research, transparency and discovery only. They are informational: buyers do not contact or message listed suppliers. Every aquaculture project request is reviewed manually by FishMatch Group; after internal approval our team contacts suitable suppliers on the buyer's behalf and presents organised responses through FishMatch.
How this estimate is calculated
Cage Farming Capacity Calculator · calculation version 0.9.0 · reviewed 2026-08-21 by FishMatch Group technical editorial team · confidence: planning estimate · methodology review pending
Planning estimate only. Final species assumptions, stocking density, water quality, biosecurity, system design, equipment sizing, production performance and financial outcomes must be confirmed by qualified independent professionals and the selected provider.
Purpose
Sizes a cage farm from the production target. Enter cage geometry, stocking density, harvest weight and cycle length; the tool returns cages required, standing biomass, annual output, peak daily feed and an indicative capital cost per tonne of capacity.
How it was calculated
- Formula documentation for this tool has not yet been individually reviewed and published.
Where each value comes from
- Target annual production
- Buyer input
- Cage type
- Buyer input
- Cage diameter or side
- Buyer input
- Net depth
- Buyer input
- Harvest stocking density
- Buyer input
- Harvest weight
- Buyer input
- Grow-out cycle
- Buyer input
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
- Buyer input
- Peak daily feeding rate
- Buyer input
- Survival to harvest
- Buyer input
- Cage, net & mooring cost
- Buyer input
Limitations
- This tool has not yet passed the documented-methodology review. Treat every output as an unverified planning estimate.
- Planning-level sizing only — site currents, depth, wave exposure, oxygen and licence limits decide real stocking capacity.
- Excludes feed barges, boats, nets spares, predator protection, moorings engineering, site survey and permits.
- Cage mooring design is site-specific engineering and must be certified locally before purchase.
- FishMatch Group is an independent sourcing and RFQ platform, not a cage manufacturer, farm or EPC contractor.
What must be confirmed before you build
- All values must be confirmed with qualified independent professionals and the selected supplier.
Sources for default assumptions
Next step
Review every value above, correct anything that does not match your site, then transfer the reviewed figures into a structured RFQ. Nothing is sent to any supplier until you approve it. Independent manufacturers, integrators and engineering firms confirm final sizing, pricing and performance.
Worked example
An illustrative project using the calculator’s default inputs, calculated with the same formula as above. Not a real project.
| Target annual production | 1000 t/year |
|---|---|
| Cage type | Circular HDPE (marine / lake) |
| Cage diameter or side | 16 m |
| Net depth | 8 m |
| Harvest stocking density | 18 kg/m³ |
| Harvest weight | 700 g |
| Grow-out cycle | 8 months |
| Feed conversion ratio (FCR) | 1.5 kg feed / kg |
| Peak daily feeding rate | 1.5 % of biomass/day |
| Survival to harvest | 88 % |
| Cage, net & mooring cost | 26000 $/cage |
| Cages required | 24 cages |
|---|---|
| Total standing biomass | 694.9 t |
| Annual output | 1,042.3 t/yr |
| Juveniles to stock | 1,128,036 pcs/cycle |
| Peak daily feed | 10,423 kg/day |
| Annual feed volume | 1,563.5 t/yr |
| Indicative cage CAPEX | $624,000 |
| CAPEX per tonne of capacity | $599/t |
Who should use the cage farming capacity calculator?
Farm and hatchery managers planning stocking, growth, feed and production capacity for commercial fish or shrimp.
What decision does it support?
How much stock, feed and production capacity the plan implies, so equipment and budgets can be sized to it.
What inputs do you need?
- Target annual production (t/year)
- Cage type
- Cage diameter or side (m)
- Net depth (m)
- Harvest stocking density (kg/m³)
- Harvest weight (g)
- Grow-out cycle (months)
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR) (kg feed / kg)
- Peak daily feeding rate (% of biomass/day)
- Survival to harvest (%)
- Cage, net & mooring cost ($/cage)
Is it for commercial farms or aquariums?
Built for commercial farms, hatcheries and projects. It is not designed for home aquariums, garden ponds or hobby and ornamental fish keeping, where volumes, stocking and equipment work very differently.
Technical checklist
Short answer: Cage capacity The result is a planning estimate calculated only from the inputs on this page — not a supplier quote, design approval or guaranteed outcome.
Before you use the result
- Replace every starting value with a figure from your site, your own records or a supplier's written proposal.
- Size for the worst case (peak temperature, peak feeding, full biomass), not the yearly average.
- Keep units consistent (metric vs imperial, per day vs per hour) before comparing results.
- Verify before you buy: Site depth, current, wave exposure and permitted biomass for the licence area.
- Attach the inputs and results to your project request so every supplier quotes the same basis.
Sources
No external dataset is built in. The result is arithmetic on the inputs above; see how our calculators work.
Stated assumptions (starting values)
These are only starting points. Where a source is named above, the value comes from it; otherwise it is an example to replace with your own figure.
- Target annual production: starts at 1000 t/year
- Cage type: starts at Circular HDPE (marine / lake)
- Cage diameter or side: starts at 16 m
- Net depth: starts at 8 m
- Harvest stocking density: starts at 18 kg/m³
- Harvest weight: starts at 700 g
- Grow-out cycle: starts at 8 months
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR): starts at 1.5 kg feed / kg
- Peak daily feeding rate: starts at 1.5 % of biomass/day
- Survival to harvest: starts at 88 %
- Cage, net & mooring cost: starts at 26000 $/cage
Checklist reviewed 13 October 2026. Ready to price it? Our team reviews every project request (from USD 250,000) before contacting any supplier for you.
Notes
- Planning-level sizing only — site currents, depth, wave exposure, oxygen and licence limits decide real stocking capacity.
- Excludes feed barges, boats, nets spares, predator protection, moorings engineering, site survey and permits.
- Cage mooring design is site-specific engineering and must be certified locally before purchase.
- FishMatch Group is an independent sourcing and RFQ platform, not a cage manufacturer, farm or EPC contractor.
What this result is — and is not
- Use: Number and volume of cages for an annual tonnage target.
- Planning estimate, not a supplier quote or guarantee. It only reflects the inputs above.
- Verify before you buy: Site depth, current, wave exposure and permitted biomass for the licence area.
Is your project a fit?
FishMatch Group handles commercial B2B projects with a total budget of USD 250,000 or more — new farms, hatcheries, RAS, cages, processing or expansions. The buyer sends one brief; our team reviews and structures the RFQ, then approaches suitable suppliers on the buyer's behalf. Buyers are not put in direct contact with manufacturers at this stage. Smaller or idea-stage projects can start with the calculators below and send the RFQ once scope and budget are clearer.
Which inputs change the estimate and the RFQ?
Calculator results and supplier quotes both depend on: species and life stage, production target (tonnes per year or PL per cycle), water source and quality (temperature, salinity, flow), system design (pond, cage, RAS, hatchery, processing), site and access, energy supply and price, permits, and timeline.
Calculator figures are planning estimates based on stated assumptions — not engineering designs or supplier quotes. Growth, survival and output depend on project-specific biology and operating conditions and are never guaranteed. Formulas, assumptions and sources: calculator methodology.
1. Size it
2. Equipment & project sourcing
Send a structured RFQ. A person checks scope and budget before any supplier is approached.
Start the project RFQ3. Financing (separate)
Financing is a separate track. FishMatch Group does not lend or guarantee financing.
Aquaculture financingCage capacity FAQs
Available in other languages
Other aquaculture calculators
Turn this estimate into a reviewed RFQ
Send the project specification privately. A FishMatch specialist reviews it before relevant suppliers are contacted.
Request a quote