Animal husbandry – Aquatic animal culturing – Fish culturing
Patent
1995-11-16
1998-02-10
Swiatek, Robert P.
Animal husbandry
Aquatic animal culturing
Fish culturing
A01K 6100, A01K 6300
Patent
active
057157731
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an apparatus for aquaculture. In this connection, aquaculture is to be understood as breeding of fish, fish fry, crustaceans and molluscs. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for rearing fish fry from the free-swimming fry stage after egg hatching until the young-fish stage has been reached, although the apparatus is also suitable as hatchery equipment for species with attached spawn and for keeping e.g. mother fish.
STATE OF THE ART
Rearing water-dwelling fry and fish has increased in recent years and become all the more important both as a source of income and for the continued existence of many species of fish in places where their natural reproduction grounds have been destroyed or made inaccessible, or where the risk of genetic impoverishment exists. For this reason, many proposals have been made in order to facilitate the rearing of fry and fish where their growth environment can be controlled and they can be protected from external dangers. The majority of these are different types of breeding spaces which are placed in surrounding water and which provide protection for the fry during their growth.
Important factors for the growth environment are the water circulation and thus the oxygenation of the water and the hygiene in the breeding spaces. GB 2 026 823 describes, for example, a breeding space which floats on the water and in which the water circulation is brought about by means of a pump which pumps water into the space and an adjustable outlet. The pump capacity and the outlet opening are adjusted so that a higher water level and thus a higher pressure are obtained in the water in the space, which leads to a circulation of the water in the space. GB 1110 020 describes a breeding space which is lowered into the water, with a pump system which sucks water from the bottom of the space and inlet openings in the upper edge of the side walls of the space in order to bring about a water circulation. The disadvantages with both systems are that for one thing they require pump arrangements with accompanying power requirements, and that adjustment of the water circulation for different conditions cannot be carried out satisfactorily and that cleaning the breeding spaces is relatively complicated. All in all, this means that an optimum breeding environment is difficult to achieve.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to remedy the above disadvantages in a manner which, without pump arrangements, can ensure good water circulation with the aid of a number of adjustment possibilities in order to achieve an optimum breeding environment for the water-dwelling fry in a simple and effective manner. An apparatus is thus proposed which comprises a breeding space which is placed in a suitable watercourse, preferably flowing water such as brook mouths, straits, rivers and open water with some wave formation, and which is kept floating with the aid of floating elements.
The breeding space is defined by two end walls, two side walls and a bottom which slopes from one end wall to the other and in which the side walls have a number of openings, characterized in that a flow-intensifying member is arranged in the upper edge of the breeding space and in that the size of the openings is adjustable. Moreover, the bottom plate has openable sections in its upper and lower pan, the slot-shaped opening of the upper section being directed in the same direction as the flow-intensifying member and a flow being brought about, via an adjusting plate which conducts a flow below the breeding space, along the bottom plate which moves food waste and excrement to the section in the lower pan so that this can easily be removed.
The flow-intensifying member is preferably fixed in an articulated manner on the breeding space so that its outer end can be adjusted in the vertical direction and that the breeding space also can be adjusted in the vertical direction in relation to the floating elements.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The apparatus accordi
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patent: 4013042 (1977-03-01), Ingold
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patent: 4798169 (1989-01-01), Rosen et al.
patent: 4839062 (1989-06-01), Sanders
patent: 4909186 (1990-03-01), Nakamune et al.
Shaw Elizabeth
Swiatek Robert P.
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