Tsukrov and colleagues at the University of New Hampshire conducted a comprehensive engineering evaluation of copper-alloy mesh as a cage net material for marine aquaculture. The study assessed three dimensions: structural integrity under hydrodynamic loading, anti-fouling performance over multi-year deployment periods, and economic viability compared to conventional nylon nets with periodic cleaning or antifouling coatings.
Field trials demonstrated that copper-zinc and copper-nickel alloy nets maintained near-zero fouling for up to five years without any cleaning intervention, while withstanding wave and current forces that exceeded design loads for nylon nets of equivalent mesh size. Cost-benefit modelling showed that despite a three- to five-fold higher initial purchase price, copper alloy nets achieved lower total cost of ownership at high-fouling sites over two or more production cycles, primarily through the elimination of cleaning operations and extended net lifespan.
Farmers evaluating copper alloy nets for their operations can compare this technology against other approaches using the solutions comparison tool. The article on copper nets versus silicone coatings provides a detailed head-to-head analysis, and the biofouling cost calculator can model the break-even point for copper net investment at different fouling intensities.