This study is aimed at figuring out the reasons of the mass mortality of abalone and the increase in its mortality rate in the sea cage. The study suggests that lack seawater circulation in an abalone aquaculture cage is an important culprit for it. We analyzed the current distribution around a 1/20 scaled-down abalone unit cage of 4 rows and 10 columns by fluid flow visualization technique (PIV : Particle Image Velocimetry). The speed of current in the model cage definitely slowed down in the first column of a unit cage. We also observed currents going down to the bottom of a water tank from the unit cages placed in the middle. The speed of wakes behind inside the row in the middle was slower than that outside the row. Water velocity inside and outside a real abalone cage at Nowha Island adjacent to Wan Island was measured to verify results from the tank test. The speed of current in front of the cage by 2 m was 0.11 m/sec while it was only 0.0009 m/sec inside the cage. It had similar findings with those of a tank test.
