AU2015213390B1 - Method for packaging and transporting live crabs - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for packaging and transporting live crustaceans, the method comprising the steps of: immersing at least one crustacean into a first fluid for a time period sufficient for the at least one crustacean to enter a state of dormancy; placing at least one restraint on the at least one crustacean to reduce the crustacean's ability for self-movement; loading the at least one crustacean into a transport container; placing the loaded transport container into fluid contained within a first holding tank; and transporting the loaded transport container, or the holding tank with the loaded transport container placed in the fluid therein, from a first location to at least one second location; wherein the first fluid is at a temperature of between about 41C and about 100C; wherein at least one surface of the transport container comprises at least one aperture for allowing a fluid to circulate through the transport container; wherein the at least one crustacean is firmly packed within the transport container; and wherein the transport container may be transferred between the first holding tank and as many additional holding tanks as necessary during transport.

Description

1 METHOD FOR PACKAGING AND TRANSPORTING LIVE CRABS Technical Field [0001] The present invention is directed to methods for packaging and transporting live crustaceans for easy handling, holding and transportation. [0002] Embodiments of the invention find particular, but not exclusive, use in the packaging and transportation of live crustaceans. Background Art [0003] Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods. They have an exoskeleton and many are free-living aquatic animals. Examples include crabs, lobsters, crayfish and shrimp. They are popular foods for consumption in Australia and the rest of the world. [0004] One specific discussed herein is the crab. Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infra order Brachyura. Typically, they are covered with a thick exoskeleton, have a single pair of claws and a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) hidden under the thorax. They live in oceans, fresh water, and on land. [0005] During winter, when the water temperature drops, some crustaceans such as crabs bury themselves in the sand or mud and enter a state of dormancy. Generally, they burrow backwards and lay dormant at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, with their heads facing upwards and their mouths protruding from the sand or mud to allow them to breath. Under the right conditions, crabs can remain dormant for several months. [0006] When the crabs are first caught they are held on fishermen's boats in live-wells and then transported in water while the crabs are free to roam around. The claws of the crab may or may not be constricted before being placed in the live-wells. The crabs are then transferred from the live-wells to holding tanks using scoops, called landing nets. They may then be further transferred again into another holding tank or transport container for transport. The whole process repeats until the crabs have reached their final destination.

2 [0007] If the crabs are unrestrained in the holding tanks, they are free to move. Certain crustaceans, such as crabs tend to congregate together which makes scooping them out difficult. In addition, when the crabs are left in holding facilities and roaming freely, even with their claws constricted, they can cause injury to each other due to the spiky nature of their carapace and limbs. Crabs with unrestrained claws can cause additional injury to not only other crabs, but to crab handlers as well. [0008] Since only a small number of crabs may be transferred at any one time, this scooping process is time consuming. In addition, the frequent manual handling may cause significant injury or stress to the crab, which may in turn have serious adverse effects on the health of the crab. Stressed crustaceans are more active and use up more oxygen and energy. They also produce more carbon dioxide, ammonia and other waste substances which can have an effect on their health if allowed to build up in the holding water. Thus the water quality during transport and holding is very important. [0009] Stress can occur at any point in the journey from fishing vessel to customer. The effects of stress can't necessarily be observed straight away. Stress can be fatal and death may take several hours or even days. [0010] Crabs are extremely susceptible to damage to their limbs. As such, the limbs may become injured or detached when they are scooped into the landing net. Consequently, the fatality rate of the crabs during transport is high due to the stress burden and injury from the manual handling. [0011] As with many aquatic creatures, crabs breathe through gills. Although they are able to survive for short periods outside of water, gills are poor at taking up enough oxygen from the air and at expelling the waste gases carbon dioxide and ammonia. Thus crustaceans, such as crabs find it difficult to stay alive when they are not in water as their gills clump together when exposed to air and breathing becomes difficult. Consequently, when exposed to air, crabs suffer from shortage of oxygen. In addition, waste substances such as ammonia build up in the blood. When the waste levels build up in the blood they can have serious harmful effects.

3 Thus, prolonged exposure to air can have an adverse effect on the physical and mental health of the crab and can even be fatal. [0012] As such, ideal transportation of crabs takes place in water. Depending on the crab, this may be fresh water or salt water. Ideally, the salinity of the water should replicate the salinity found in the crab's natural habitat. [0013] However, water is very heavy and consequently, the transportation of crabs in water becomes a labour intensive task. In addition, as discussed the quality of the water is also important. Even in a dormant state, crabs produce waste which can affect the quality of the water and consequent have an adverse effect on the health of the animal. With a clean water supply, the health of the crustacean is more effectively maintained and the viability of the shipment is preserved. [0014] Stress, injury and especially death, can significantly affect the yield of the live crab shipment which in turn has an impact on the commercial value of the shipment. [0015] There is currently no commercially viable method to package live crabs that require water during transport for handling, holding or transporting without high losses due to injury and fatalities. [0016] As such, there exists a need for a simple method to package live crustaceans, such as crabs, so that the crabs can be easily handled, held and transported in water between each point of sale while reducing adverse effects experienced by the crabs. [0017] There also exists a need for a transportation system whereby crustaceans such as crabs are transported in a holding tank containing water, but wherein they are easily transferred from one holding tank to the next, without additional manual handling of the crab itself. [0018] It is against this background that the present invention has been developed.

4 Summary of Invention [0019] In one aspect of the invention, provided herein is a method for packaging and transporting live crustaceans, the method comprising the steps of: immersing at least one crustacean into a first fluid for a time period sufficient for the at least one crustacean to enter a state of dormancy; placing at least one restraint on the at least one crustacean to reduce the crustacean's ability for self-movement; loading the at least one crustacean into a transport container; placing the loaded transport container into fluid contained within a first holding tank; and transporting the loaded transport container, or the holding tank with the loaded transport container placed in the fluid therein, from a first location to at least one second location; wherein the first fluid is at a temperature of between about 40C and about 100c; wherein at least one surface of the transport container comprises at least one aperture for allowing a fluid to circulate through the transport container; wherein the at least one crustacean is firmly packed within the transport container; and wherein the transport container may be transferred between the first holding tank and as many additional holding tanks as necessary during transport. [0020] In one embodiment, the transport container comprises a plurality of apertures arranged to occupy a proportion of the surface area of the transport container of equal to or greater than 10% of the total surface area. [0021] In another embodiment, the at least one restraint is selected from: a limb restraint comprising at least one of: an O-ring type restraint, a wire restraint or a funicular restraint; or a breathable sleeve placed around at least a portion of the crustacean; wherein the breathable sleeve is manufactured from at least one of mesh, netting, poly mesh crab netting, poly netting, or poly mesh.

5 [0022] In another embodiment, a plurality of layers of crustaceans are formed in the transport container by a method comprising the step of: arranging a plurality of crustaceans abreast each other to form a first layer; and arranging at least one additional layer of crustaceans abreast each other and adjacent the first layer; wherein the plurality of layers are arranged in a horizontal or vertical orientation; and wherein the crustacean is selected from the group consisting of: a crab selected from the group consisting of (blue swimmer crab (Portunus pelagicus), sand crab, blue manna crab, blue crab, swimming crab, sandy crab, sand crab (Ovalipes australiensis), spanner crab, crystal crab, coral crab and champagne crab; a crayfish selected from the group consisting of: Southern Rocklobster, Eastern Rocklobster, Western Rocklobster and Tropical Rocklobster; and other crustaceans selected from the group consisting of Marron, Yabby, Redclaw, Balmain Bug, Moreton Bay Bug, King Prawn, Tiger Prawn, School Prawn, Freshwater Prawn, Banana Prawn and Scampi. [0023] In another aspect of the invention, provided herein is a transport container for transporting live crustaceans, comprising: a base and at least one side wall; wherein the base and the at least one side wall are arranged to form an enclosure; wherein the base and/or at least one side wall comprise a plurality of apertures for allowing a fluid to circulate through the transport container; wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged to occupy a proportion of the surface area of the transport container of equal to or greater than 10% of the total surface area; wherein the transport container is used in a method for transporting live crustaceans, the method comprising the steps of: immersing at least one crustacean into a first fluid for a time period sufficient for the at least one crustacean to enter a state of dormancy; 6 placing at least one restraint on the at least one crustacean to reduce the crustacean's ability for self-movement; loading the at least one crustacean into the transport container; placing the loaded transport container into fluid contained within a first holding tank; and transporting the loaded transport container, or the holding tank with the loaded transport container placed in the fluid therein, from a first location to at least one second location; wherein the first fluid is at a temperature of between about 40C and about 100c; wherein the at least one crustacean is firmly packed within the transport container; and wherein the transport container may be transferred between the first holding tank and as many additional holding tanks as necessary during transport. [0024] In one embodiment, the apertures of the transport container are arranged to occupy a surface area of equal to or greater than 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75% or 80% of the total surface area of the transport container. [0025] In one embodiment, the apertures in the transport container are vertically oriented slits. [0026] In one embodiment the holding tanks are supplied with oxygen. [0027] In one embodiment, the fluid in each of the holding tanks is at a temperature between about 20C and about 150C. [0028] In one embodiment, the fluid in each of the holding tanks is at a temperature between about 40C and about 130C. [0029] In one embodiment, the fluid in each of the holding tanks is at a temperature between about 90C and about 130C. [0030] In one embodiment, the layers of crustaceans are placed into the transport container at an incline.

7 [0031] In one embodiment, the layers of crustaceans are placed into the transport container at an incline of 45 degrees. [0032] In one embodiment, no more than about 15 horizontal layers of crustaceans are placed into any one transport container. [0033] In one embodiment, the fluid contained within the holding tank comprises sea water. [0034] In one embodiment, the fluid contained within the holding tank comprises fresh water. [0035] In one embodiment, the transport container has a total volume of about 1OL or about 20L capacity. [0036] In one embodiment, the transport container has the dimensions 30cm x 45cm x 11cm. [0037] In one embodiment, the crustaceans may remain packaged in the transport container for up to 1 month, or up to 2 months, or up to 3 months or up to 4 months. [0038] In one embodiment, the transport container comprises at least one partition shelf upon which additional layers of crustaceans may be placed without applying weight on the layers of crustaceans on the other side of the partition shelf. Brief Description of the Drawings [0039] Further features of the present invention are more fully described in the following description of several non-limiting embodiments thereof. This description is included solely for the purposes of exemplifying the present invention. It should not be understood as a restriction on the broad summary, disclosure or description of the invention as set out above. The description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front-on view of a live crab about to be placed into a body of water having a water temperature ranging between 4 degrees and 10 degrees Celsius to induce dormancy; 8 Figure 2 is a top view of a live crab ready to be placed into a breathable sleeve; Figure 3 is a top view of a live crab with both claws constricted by an O-ring type restrictor; Figure 4 is a side angled view of an example of a transport container. This example shows a box with a removable lid. Both box and lid comprise a plurality of apertures; Figure 5 is a side angled view of a crab packaged within a sealed breathable sleeve, being placed into the transport container; and Figure 6 is a side angled view of a transport container packed tightly with crabs packaged within breathable sleeves, ready for transportation. Detailed Description of the Invention [0040] While the method of the present invention could be used to transport crabs as demonstrated, it will be understood that the method may be used to transport any form of crustacean or aquatic creature which enters a dormant state. [0041] It must be noted that, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "or", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a cable" includes a plurality of such cables, and so forth. [0042] Briefly, the present invention is directed to a method for packaging and transporting live crustaceans. The method generally comprises firstly immersing the crustacean into water at a temperature of between 40C and 10 C until such time that the crustacean enters a state of dormancy. This process usually takes about 30 seconds to 2 minutes. [0043] Once the crustacean is dormant, the limbs and/or claws are restrained. Any suitable type of restraint may be used such as, but not limited to, an O-ring type restraint, a wire restraint or a funicular restraint. The limb and claw restraints prevent 9 the crustacean from moving around and also prevent injury to other crustaceans and crustacean handlers as the claws are very strong and sharp. [0044] In one embodiment, a portion of the body of the crustacean may be further restrained by placing the crustacean in a breathable sleeve. This additional restraint further prevents the crustacean from moving and also imitates the sensation of when a crustacean buries itself beneath sand or mud during dormancy. Importantly, the breathable sleeve must allow for fluid to circulate through the sleeve such that the mouth parts of the crustacean become immersed in fluid during holding and transport. [0045] More preferably, the entire body and limbs of the crustacean are placed within the breathable sleeve. It will be understood that the breathable sleeve can be manufactured from any suitable type of textile such as (but not limited to) mesh, netting, poly mesh crab netting, poly netting, or poly mesh. [0046] It will be understood that while it is preferable to use both the limb/claw restraints and the body restraint at the same time, use of both is not necessary. [0047] Once the crabs are restrained, they are loaded into a transport container. The transport container preferably comprises at least one aperture which allows for fluid to circulate through the transport container. Preferably, the aperture is of a size large enough to allow for free circulation of fluid into and out of the transport container, as well as circulate within the container, but which is small enough to prevent the crustaceans from exiting the transport container. More preferably, no part of the crustacean is able to protrude from the transport container through the aperture. [0048] Once the transport container is loaded, it is then placed into a holding tank containing fluid. The apertures in the transport container allow the fluid within the holding tank to circulate through the transport container. [0049] More preferably the transport container comprises a plurality of apertures. The more apertures in the transport contain, the faster the fluid can circulate through the transport container. This is important for two reasons. The first is for replenishing the fluid within the transport container to provide oxygen to the 10 crustaceans and to prevent the build-up of waste. If the water is able to enter and circulate through the transport container quickly, the water (and thus the oxygen supply) is able to reach the crustaceans more quickly. If the transport container is relocated to a second holding tank, the water from the first holding tank is expelled from the transport container quickly as it is lifted from the first holding tank, taking any waste build-up with it. Thus, when the container is placed in the second holding tank the crustaceans rapidly receive a fresh water supply. This is important for maintaining the health of the crustaceans and reducing stress. [0050] In one embodiment, the transport container is supplied with oxygen from an external source. [0051] The second reason is to allow for easy handling of the transport container. The transport containers are usually handled by humans during transport and water is heavy. The more water retained in the transport box, the heavier the box is to lift. Handling heavy loads can cause injury to the handler. Thus, it is preferable that as much of the water is removed as quickly as possible during handling such that the load is lighter, easier to handle and less likely to cause injury. [0052] It is preferable that the water in the holding tanks have substantially the same salinity concentration as the water from the natural habitat of the crustacean. This assists in maintaining the health of the crustacean and reducing stress to the crustacean. If the crustacean normally lives in the ocean, then sea water is preferable. If the crustacean normally lives in fresh water, then fresh water is preferable. [0053] The fluid within the holding tank is at a temperature of about 20C to about 150C. Preferably, the fluid within the holding tank is at a temperature of about 40C to about 130C. More preferably, the fluid within the holding tank is at a temperature of about 90C to about 130C. [0054] While the temperature of the fluid in the holding tank may be lower than 40C temporarily, extended exposure to low temperatures can have an adverse effect of the health of the animal and should be avoided.

11 [0055] Preferably, the holding tank comprises sufficient water such that the transport container, or at least the mouth parts of the crustaceans within it, are immersed the water when placed into the holding tank. This reduces the time that the crustaceans are exposed to air and helps to maintain them in a dormant state, thus reducing stress and potential harm to the crustacean. [0056] During the method of the invention, the loaded transport container can be transported from one location to another. Crustaceans can survive for short periods of time out of water and as such the transport container may be transported outside of a water-filled holding tank when necessary. [0057] It is more preferable however, that the loaded transport container is transportation in water. Thus, it is most preferable that the transport container is transported when immersed in the water in the holding tank, is transferred between holding tanks as often and as quickly as necessary during transportation to ensure that the crustaceans are only out of water for minimal time. [0058] For example, the loaded transport container may be placed in a first holding tank at a first location while the crustaceans await transportation. When the crustaceans are ready to be transported, the transport container can be removed from the first holding tank, where the water is expelled quickly through the apertures of the transport container, and the transport container is then placed into a second holding tank on a truck where the water from the second holding tank quickly enters the transport container and circulates through it and immerses the crustaceans within it. The second holding tank and the transport container are then transported together to a second location. [0059] Upon arrival at the second location, the transport container may then be removed from the second holding tank and placed into a third holding tank at the second location. If this is the final destination, the crustaceans may then be unpacked and stored appropriately for use or sale. Where this is not the final destination, the crustaceans may remain in the third holding tank until such time that they are transferred to a fourth holding tank for further transportation. This process is repeated until such time that the crustaceans reach their final destination where they are unpacked and appropriately stored.

12 [0060] During the entire transportation process, it is preferable that the crustaceans remain in a state of dormancy. This reduces stress and potential harm to the crustacean. In addition, since the crustaceans are packaged within the transport container, the manual handling of the crustacean itself is significantly reduced which results in a reduction in the potential for injury of the crustacean. Thus the impact of transportation on the crustaceans is significantly reduced compared to transportation during an active state and the health and viability of the shipment is maintained. This process also increases the commercial potential for the sale due to increased viability (and reduced death) of the shipment. Packaging the crustacean into the breathable sleeve restricts movement and also assists in maintaining the crustacean in a state of dormancy. In addition, the layering of the crustaceans also assists in maintaining the crustacean in a dormant state by emulating the sensation of being buried in sand or mud. [0061] Due to the preference for the fluid to enter and exit the transport container quickly, it is also preferable for the transport container to comprise a plurality of apertures arranged to occupy a proportion of the surface area of the transport container of equal to or greater than 10% of the total surface area. This also allows for the water to circulate throughout the transport container while it is held within the holding tank such that waste does not build up in the transport container, but rather is circulated through the larger body of water contained within the holding tank, thus diluting the waste and providing cleaner water to the crustaceans. [0062] In one embodiment the apertures are arranged to occupy a surface area of equal to or greater than 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75% or 80% of the total surface area of the transport container. [0063] This method may be used to transport any number of crustaceans. However, it is preferable that during transport, the crustaceans remain tightly packed within the transport container. This prevents the crustacean from being thrown around in the transport container during handling and reduces injury and stress to the crustacean. It also assists in maintaining the crustacean in a dormant state as the firm packing emulates the sensation of being buried in sand or mud.

13 [0064] For this reason, if only a few crustaceans are packed within a transport container, it is preferable to pack any remaining space in the transport container with a suitable packaging material to prevent the crustaceans from moving within the transport container. A suitable packaging material may include (but is not limited to) polystyrene foam. It will be understood that other means of restraint may also be used to prevent the crustaceans from moving in the transport container during transport. [0065] It is more preferable however that the crustaceans are firmly packed within the transport container by arranging the crustaceans abreast each other (i.e. side by side) to form a layer. Multiple layers may be placed adjacent each other (i.e. on top of each other in horizontal layers, or layers aligned vertically beside each other). [0066] Layers may be placed adjacent each other until such time that the transport container is full. It will be understood that any number of layers may be placed into a transport container. However, care must be taken not to place too many layers such that the lower layers of crustaceans are put under severe pressure from the layers above. The ability of each crustacean to withstand the weight of layers of crustaceans on top of it will depend upon the size and strength of the individual crustacean. It is to be understood that the skilled addressee will be able to easily determine the safe weight which a particular type of crustacean can withstand. [0067] Preferably no more than about 15 layers of crustaceans are placed on top of each other. [0068] In one embodiment of the invention, the layers may be vertically aligned in the transport container, with the head facing upwards and the layers next to each other. In another embodiment, the layers may be horizontally aligned, with the underside of the crustacean facing downwards and the layers on top of each other. [0069] In one embodiment, the transport contain may comprise a partition shelf upon which addition layers of crustaceans may be placed without applying weight to the layers of crustaceans on the other side of the partition shelf. In embodiments where the crustaceans are tightly packed into the transport container in layers, the pressure of the other crustaceans on an individual crustacean partly imitates the sensation a crustacean might experience when buried in sand or mud during 14 dormancy. This sensation assists in maintaining the crustacean in a dormant state during transport. [0070] In yet another embodiment, the layers may be placed in the transport container on an incline, with the head of the crustacean facing upwards. [0071] An angle of 45 degrees most accurately resembles the angle at which a crustacean, such as a crab, might burrow into the sand or mud during dormancy. However, a useful result is produced when the crustaceans are packed horizontally or vertically as described above. [0072] The method of this invention can be used to package and transport live crustaceans such as crabs. Specifically, the method of this invention may be used to transport crustaceans such as crustaceans selected from the group consisting of: crabs selected from the group consisting of blue swimmer crabs (Portunus pelagicus), sand crabs, blue manna crabs, blue crabs, swimming crabs, sandy crabs, sand crabs (Ovalipes australiensis), spanner crabs, crystal crabs, coral crabs and champagne crabs; crayfish selected from the group consisting of Southern Rocklobster, Eastern Rocklobster, Western Rocklobster and Tropical Rocklobster; and other crustaceans selected from the group consisting of Marron, Yabby, Redclaw, Balmain Bug, Moreton Bay Bug, King Prawn, Tiger Prawn, School Prawn, Freshwater Prawn, Banana Prawn and Scampi. [0073] In another aspect of the invention, provided herein is a transport container for transporting live crustaceans, comprising a base and at least one side wall. The base and the at least one side wall are arranged to form an enclosure. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a transport container, such as a box, with a base and four side walls. This box may or may not also comprise a removable lid. [0074] In one embodiment, the base, lid and each wall of the transport container comprise a plurality of apertures. As described above, these apertures allow a fluid, such as water, to pass into and out of the transport container freely and also to allow the fluid to circulate within the transport container.

15 [0075] Preferably, the apertures are arranged to occupy a proportion of the surface area of the transport container of equal to or greater than 10% of the total surface area. [0076] In one embodiment the apertures are arranged to occupy a surface area of equal to or greater than 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75% or 80% of the total surface area of the transport container. [0077] In use, this transport container is used in the method for transporting live crustaceans as described in detail above. [0078] Referring to Figures 1 to 6, a live crustacean (1) is caught and placed into a body of water (2) having a water temperature ranging between 40C and 10 C. Once the crustacean (1) enters a dormant state, the crustacean (1) is removed from the water and claw/limb restraints (4) and (5) are placed on the crustacean to prevent self-movement of the crustacean. The crustacean is then placed into a breathable sleeve (3). In one embodiment of the invention, the crustacean is placed into the breathable sleeve without the claw/limb restraints. [0079] The restrained crustacean is then placed into a transport container (7) which comprises a base, four side walls, a lid (6) and a plurality of apertures (8) which allow water to freely circulate through the transport container. The crustaceans are arranged into the transport containers into layers, as shown in Figure 6. [0080] It will be understood that other configurations of the transport container can also be employed. [0081] The transport container used in the method of the present invention is preferably manufactured from a plastic such as Polypropylene, or a metal such as a suitably strengthened wire cage such as an aluminium cage. [0082] In one embodiment, the transport container has a total volume capacity of about 1 0L or about 20L. [0083] In one embodiment, the transport container has the dimensions 30cm x 45cm x 11cm.

16 [0084] In an alternative embodiment, the transport container has the dimensions 30cm x 30cm x 22cm. [0085] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the transport container used in the present invention is not limited by size and therefore variations in dimensions of the transport container can be employed depending on required use and number of crustaceans to be transported. [0086] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The invention includes all such variations and modifications. The invention also includes all of the steps, features, and embodiments referred to or indicated in the specification, individually or collectively and any and all combinations or any two or more of the steps or features. [0087] Reference to cited material or information contained in the text should not be understood as a concession that the material or information was part of the common general knowledge or was known in Australia or any other country. [0088] The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products, formulations and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein. [0089] Throughout this specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. [0090] Other definitions for selected terms used herein may be found within the detailed description of the invention and apply throughout. Unless otherwise defined, all other scientific and technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs.

Claims (15)

1. A method for packaging and transporting live crustaceans, the method comprising the steps of: immersing at least one crustacean into a first fluid for a time period sufficient for the at least one crustacean to enter a state of dormancy; placing at least one restraint on the at least one crustacean to reduce the crustacean's ability for self-movement; loading the at least one crustacean into a transport container; placing the loaded transport container into fluid contained within a first holding tank; and transporting the loaded transport container, or the holding tank with the loaded transport container placed in the fluid therein, from a first location to at least one second location; wherein the first fluid is at a temperature of between about 40C and about 100c; wherein at least one surface of the transport container comprises at least one aperture for allowing a fluid to circulate through the transport container; wherein the at least one crustacean is packed within the transport container; and wherein the transport container may be transferred between the first holding tank and as many additional holding tanks as necessary during transport.

2. The method according to Claim 1, wherein the transport container comprises a plurality of apertures arranged to occupy a proportion of the surface area of the transport container of equal to or greater than 10% of the total surface area.

3. The method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the crustacean is firmly packed within the container.

4. The method according to any one of Claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the at least one restraint is selected from: a limb restraint comprising at least one of an O-ring type restraint, a wire restraint or a funicular restraint; or a breathable sleeve placed around at least a portion of the crustacean; 18 wherein the breathable sleeve is manufactured from at least one of mesh, netting, poly mesh crab netting, poly netting, or poly mesh.

5. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein a plurality of layers of crustaceans are formed in the transport container by a method comprising the step of: arranging a plurality of crustaceans abreast each other to form a first layer; and arranging at least one additional layer of crustaceans abreast each other and adjacent the first layer; wherein the plurality of layers are arranged in a horizontal or vertical orientation.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the crustacean is selected from the group consisting of: a crab selected from the group consisting of blue swimmer crab (Portunus pelagicus), sand crab, blue manna crab, blue crab, swimming crab, sandy crab, sand crab (Ovalipes australiensis), spanner crab, crystal crab, coral crab and champagne crab; a crayfish selected from the group consisting of Southern Rocklobster, Eastern Rocklobster, Western Rocklobster and Tropical Rocklobster; and other crustaceans selected from the group consisting of Marron, Yabby, Redclaw, Balmain Bug, Moreton Bay Bug, King Prawn, Tiger Prawn, School Prawn, Freshwater Prawn, Banana Prawn and Scampi.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport container is supplied with oxygen.

8. A method for transporting live crustaceans in a transport container, comprising: a base and at least one side wall; wherein the base and the at least one side wall are arranged to form an enclosure; wherein the base and/or the at least one side wall comprise a plurality of apertures for allowing a fluid to circulate through the transport container; and 19 wherein the plurality of apertures are arranged to occupy a proportion of the surface area of the transport container of equal to or greater than 10% of the total surface area, the method comprising the steps of: immersing at least one crustacean into a first fluid for a time period sufficient for the at least one crustacean to enter a state of dormancy; placing at least one restraint on the at least one crustacean to reduce the crustacean's ability for self-movement; loading the at least one crustacean into the transport container; placing the loaded transport container into fluid contained within a first holding tank; and transporting the loaded transport container, or the holding tank with the loaded transport container placed in the fluid therein, from a first location to at least one second location.

9. The transport container according to Claim 8, wherein the first fluid is at a temperature of between about 40C and about 10 C.

10. The transport container according to any one of Claims 8 to 9, wherein the apertures of the transport container are arranged to occupy a surface area of equal to or greater than 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75% or 80% of the total surface area of the transport container.

11. The transport container according to any one of Claims 8 to 10, wherein the apertures in the transport container are vertically oriented slits.

12. The transport container according to any one of Claims 8 to 11, having a total volume of about 1 0L or about 20L capacity.

13. The transport container according to any one of Claims 8 to 12, wherein the fluid contained within the holding tank comprises sea water.

14. The transport container according to any one of Claims 8 to 12, wherein the fluid contained within the holding tank comprises fresh water.

15. The transport container according to any one of Claims 8 to 14, wherein the transport container comprises at least one partition shelf upon which additional layers of crustaceans may be placed without applying weight on the layers of crustaceans on the other side of the partition shelf.