Animal husbandry – Aquatic animal culturing – Crustacean culturing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2001-12-11
Swiatek, Robert P. (Department: 3643)
Animal husbandry
Aquatic animal culturing
Crustacean culturing
C119S228000, C119S234000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327996
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of commercial cultivation of marine shrimp and marine bivalve mollusks, such as oysters. More particularly, the present invention relates to a biosecure zero-exchange system and methods for production and growout of such marine animals, in particular marine shrimp.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The earliest shrimp farms consisted of near shore impoundments to which small numbers (1-3 shrimp/m
2
) of wild caught shrimp postlarvae (wild seed) were stocked. Several hundred kilograms/hectare of adult shrimp were harvested periodically. These farms in essence practiced natural balanced ecosystem growout; no feed was added to the growth medium, no water was exchanged, no aeration or mixing was performed, and no water treatment was provided.
Most shrimp farm operations have retained dependence upon wild seed, but have raised stocking densities. Yields of 1,000-3,000 g/m
2
became standard, and some farm operations reported yields of 10,000 g/m
2
. Some prerequisites to these higher yields were substantial modifications in farm management practices including but not limited to use and dependence upon supplemental feeds such as trash fish, manufactured feed or both; water exchange; and aeration/mixing. Generally the higher the stocking density, the more the farming system depended upon quality high protein and high energy feeds, water exchange, and aeration/mixing.
Currently, the impact and spread of shrimp diseases and mortality rates of shrimp are the dominant concerns of shrimp farmers around the world. Pathogenic viruses and other disease agents for shrimp are commonly found in wild shrimp populations and in river and coastal waters where shrimp or other crustaceans are or may be farmed. These pathogens are also carried by workers, birds, and wind, and may contaminate the shrimp population, with devastating results on crop growth and yield.
Thus, there is a need for an economical system or method for intensive production of high quality disease free marine animals which minimizes environmental side effects.
Development in the area of zero-exchange systems has led to significant changes in the art of aquaculture. For example, Fahs et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,745, disclosed an apparatus and method for maintaining aquatic organisms in an essentially closed system, wherein the aqueous medium is removed from the tank, sterilized, and returned following purification and removal of solids produced in the system. Further, Lee et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,831, disclosed a similar closed aquaculture system with automated water purification. Both of these inventions provide systems for the growth of commercially desired marine animals with near zero water replenishment. However, these systems utilize only “clean water” or “clean conditions” within the system. Therefore, these systems are not true zero-exchange systems as defined below because in the above noted systems, solids introduced into the system (typically feed) and produced within the system (typically fecal matter and metabolites) are continuously removed from the system along with recycled aqueous medium.
It is because solids are removed from the above systems that the systems fail to recognize the importance of maintaining solid residues, fecal matter, particulate matter, metabolites, and uneaten feed in an intensive zero-exchange growout system to provide an environment favorable for high growth rates and yields of shrimp and certain marine animals. “Clean water” systems do not establish these favorable conditions for intensive growth and harvesting of marine animals, specifically at levels of up to 10,000 kilograms per hectare. In the instant invention, adapting both the nutrition source and the mixing/aeration ratio compensates for any unfavorable changes in the system and maintains the favorable conditions throughout the growth cycle, whereas the industry has heretofore utilized filtering, flushing, or removing contaminants from the aqueous medium as the primary mechanism for controlling aqueous medium quality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a system and a method of growing shrimp, allowing balanced processes to accomplish the intensive culture of shrimp while reducing the risk of loss due to disease or environmental contaminants.
More specifically, the present invention involves a unique combination of elements including: 1) the use of a specific pathogen free shrimp population, 2) facilities which are effectively disinfected and isolated from sources of disease vectors and environmental contaminants, 3) a beneficial, synergistic microbial population, 4) an aqueous medium of controlled composition, 5) a specialized feed for supporting the microbial population and shrimp, and 6) zero-exchange of aqueous medium, and solids contained therein, throughout the growout cycle. The system also includes provisions for the photosynthetic needs of the microbial population.
Accordingly, the present invention comprises, in general, a biosecure zero-exchange growout system for marine shrimp comprising a disinfected or pathogen free aqueous medium, typically disinfected sea water; a mixture of synergistic non-pathogenic microorganisms; typically photoautotrophic algae and heterotrophic bacteria; a pathogen-free nutrition source, typically a reduced protein content and energy level feed nourishing both the shrimp and microbial population; and shrimp seed stock selected for freedom from specific pathogens, typically
Penaeus vannamei.
The system further comprises a tank and associated equipment for containing the shrimp, the aqueous medium and the non-pathogenic microorganisms, wherein the tank and its contents are isolated from the surrounding environment to prevent the introduction of pathogens into the system, typically by using a cover and lining.
In a second aspect, the present invention also comprises a method for growing shrimp in a biosecure zero-exchange system comprising, in general, the steps of supplying a mixture of synergistic non-pathogenic microorganisms to a pathogen free or disinfected tank containing a pathogen free or disinfected aqueous medium of controlled composition; cultivating a bloom of such synergistic non-pathogenic microorganisms; depositing a population of specific pathogen free shrimp into the aqueous medium of the tank; supplying and maintaining of a nutrition source for the shrimp and the non-pathogenic microorganisms, in which the nutrition source comprises, in general, a pathogen free reduced protein, reduced energy feed adapted for a zero-exchange system; and isolating the growout tank and the growth medium from pathogens and the outside environment during the entire process described generally above by covering, the growout facility or the tank and growth media with a covering which provides a physical barrier to and prevents entrance of pathogens from the environment. Sufficient light to maintain the health and growth of both the shrimp and the microbial population is provided. Further, only aqueous medium lost by evaporation and other physical reasons is replenished with fresh aqueous medium. Complete or partial flushing of the system with fresh aqueous medium is to be avoided. Lastly, throughout the entire shrimp growth cycle uneaten feed, solid residues, and metabolites are retained in the system, establishing conditions for high growth and yield of marine animals such as shrimp.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 30038 (1979-06-01), Sweeney
patent: 3916832 (1975-11-01), Sweeney
patent: 3998186 (1976-12-01), Hodges
patent: 4036176 (1977-07-01), McCarty
patent: 4078521 (1978-03-01), Laubier
patent: 4237820 (1980-12-01), Muller
patent: 4640227 (1987-02-01), Blancheton et al.
patent: 5353745 (1994-10-01), Fahs, II
patent: 5732653 (1998-03-01), Yamine
patent: 5732654 (1998-03-01), Perez et al.
S. Moss et al., “Design and Economic Analysis of a Prototype Biosecure Shrimp Growout Facility” US Marine Shrimp Farming Program Biosecurity Workshop, 2/98, pp. 3-15.
Gary D. Pruder, “Biosecure Zero-Water Exchange Shrimp Production Systems”, In
Moss Shaun McAlpine
Pruder Gary David
Tacon Albert George Joseph
Ratner & Prestia
Swiatek Robert P.
The Oceanic Institute
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