GB2555415A - Method and apparatus for orienting fish - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for orienting fish Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2555415A GB2555415A GB1618063.0A GB201618063A GB2555415A GB 2555415 A GB2555415 A GB 2555415A GB 201618063 A GB201618063 A GB 201618063A GB 2555415 A GB2555415 A GB 2555415A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- passage
- fish
- outlet
- pipe
- electrodes
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 241000251468 Actinopterygii Species 0.000 title claims abstract description 102
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 14
- 230000005684 electric field Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 17
- 238000003307 slaughter Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000009372 pisciculture Methods 0.000 description 2
- 210000002816 gill Anatomy 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K61/00—Culture of aquatic animals
- A01K61/10—Culture of aquatic animals of fish
- A01K61/13—Prevention or treatment of fish diseases
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K61/00—Culture of aquatic animals
- A01K61/90—Sorting, grading, counting or marking live aquatic animals, e.g. sex determination
- A01K61/95—Sorting, grading, counting or marking live aquatic animals, e.g. sex determination specially adapted for fish
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
- A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
- A22C25/00—Processing fish ; Curing of fish; Stunning of fish by electric current; Investigating fish by optical means
- A22C25/12—Arranging fish, e.g. according to the position of head and tail
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
- Y02A40/80—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in fisheries management
- Y02A40/81—Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
- Animal Husbandry (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)
Abstract
An apparatus for orienting fish 2 comprising at least one elongate passage 4 and a plurality of electrodes 8 within at least one passage. The electrodes are connected to a power supply adapted to generate a linear electric field, inducing fish to swim towards and exit an outlet in a head first orientation. The electrodes may be arranged in pairs comprising an upstream negatively charged cathode and a downstream positively charged anode and may be spaced apart as a function of the length of the fish. A receiving tank 6 may be attached to at least one passage also referred to as a pipe and fish may be urged into the pipe by electrodes either within the pipe or receiving tank. The passage may comprise a first and second passage extending between a common inlet and outlet region. A feed passage may extend at an acute angle into the inlet region such that head first fish swim though the first passage and tail first fish swim through the second passage. A method is also provided for orientating the fish using the core features above and the linear electric field may have a voltage gradient of 0.5 volt/cm or less.
Description
(54) Title of the Invention: Method and apparatus for orienting fish Abstract Title: Method and apparatus for orienting fish (57) An apparatus for orienting fish 2 comprising at least one elongate passage 4 and a plurality of electrodes 8 within at least one passage. The electrodes are connected to a power supply adapted to generate a linear electric field, inducing fish to swim towards and exit an outlet in a head first orientation. The electrodes may be arranged in pairs comprising an upstream negatively charged cathode and a downstream positively charged anode and may be spaced apart as a function of the length of the fish. A receiving tank 6 may be attached to at least one passage also referred to as a pipe and fish may be urged into the pipe by electrodes either within the pipe or receiving tank. The passage may comprise a first and second passage extending between a common inlet and outlet region. A feed passage may extend at an acute angle into the inlet region such that head first fish swim though the first passage and tail first fish swim through the second passage. A method is also provided for orientating the fish using the core features above and the linear electric field may have a voltage gradient of 0.5 volt/cm or less.
Method and Apparatus for orienting fish
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for orienting fish, and in particular to a method and apparatus for orienting fish using an electric field.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In fish farming (known as pisciculture) it is commonly required to handle fish either for treatment or slaughter. Typically, when fish are to be delivered to a processing means for handling for treatment or slaughter they are passed through relatively narrow passageway or pipe in a water stream, typically pumped or sucked through such passageway, to be delivered individually to a handling position wherein each fish is held to be acted upon by the processing means to treat the fish or to stun or kill the fish, for example by cutting the gills so that the fish bleeds out or by administering a blow to the head of the fish. Examples of such known fish processing means are disclosed in US 6,145,476, US 2010/0178859 and US 2014/0378038.
It is normally critical for the fish to be delivered to such fish processing means in a predetermined orientation, usually head first. However, where fish are drawn into a passageway leading to a processing means in a moving water stream the fish often try and swim against such stream and can end up entering the passageway tail first.
To avoid this fish are typically manually manipulated to enter said passageway head first. This manual manipulation of the fish is time consuming and labour intensive. Therefore it is desirable to devise a method of ensuring that the fish always enter the passageway in a head first orientation such that they are delivered to the processing means in a known orientation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for orienting fish comprising at least one elongate passage containing water through which fish can swim, a plurality of electrodes being located in said at least one passage, said electrodes being connected to a power supply adapted to generate a linear electric field in the water in at least a portion of said at least one passage thereby inducing fish to swim towards an outlet end of the at least one passage such that the first exit the outlet end of the at least one passage in a head first orientation.
Preferably said electrodes are arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs, each pair comprising an upstream negatively charged electrode (cathode) and a downstream positively charged electrode (anode), such that the fish are attracted to the positively charged downstream electrode encouraging the fish to swim towards the outlet end of the at least one passage and thus causing the fish to exit the outlet end of the at least one passage in a head first orientation. The spacing between the electrodes of each electrode pair in the at least one passage may be selected as a function of the length of the fish to be oriented.
Preferably the diameter of the at least an outlet region of said at least one passage is arranged such that the fish cannot turn around within the outlet region of the passage.
In one embodiment said at least one passage may comprise a pipe communicating with a receiving tank, whereby fish received within said receiving tank are urged to pass into said pipe in a head first orientation by virtue of the electric field generated within said pipe by the electrodes located therein. Electrodes may be provided within said receiving tank coupled to a power supply for generating an electric field within said receiving tank to urge fish therein towards said pipe.
In a further embodiment said at least one passage may comprise first and second passages extending between a common inlet region and a common outlet passage, said inlet region having a first outlet communicating with an inlet end of the first passage and a second outlet communicating with an inlet end of the second passage, outlet ends of said first and second passages converging in an inlet end of said common outlet passage, a feed passage extending at an acute angle into a side of the inlet region in the direction of the first outlet thereof such that fish entering the inlet region from the feed pipe in a head first orientation are directed and urged into the first passage to pass through the first passage and into the common outlet passage in a head first orientation, while fish entering the inlet region from the feed pipe in a tail first direction are directed and urged into the second passage to pass through the second passage and into the common outlet passage in a head first orientation.
Said inlet region may comprise an elongate pipe having a first end communicating with the first passage and a second end communicating with the second passage, said feed passage opening into the side wall of the inlet region at an acute angle towards the first end of the elongate pipe.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of orienting fish comprising of providing at least one elongate passage containing water through which fish can swim, and generating a linear electric field within the water along at least a portion of said at least one passage, thereby inducing the fish to swim towards an outlet end of the at least one passage such that the fish exit the outlet end of the at least one passage in a head first orientation. Preferably said linear electric field has a voltage gradient in the water of no more than 0.5 volt/cm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Apparatuses for orienting fish in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, in which:Figure 1 is a side view of an apparatus for orienting fish in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a plan view of an apparatus for orienting fish in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A fish orienting apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a water filled elongate pipe 4 having an inlet end communicating with a water filled receiving tank 6 into which the fish are delivered and an outlet end communicating with a fish processing means, such as a fish treatment process of a fish slaughtering process (not shown). The diameter of the pipe 4 is preferably selected so that the fish to be oriented cannot turn around in the pipe 4 and are preferably constrained to swim through in single file. As such, the diameter of the pipe will be selected to suit the size of fish to be oriented.
A plurality of longitudinally spaced electrodes 8 are provided within the pipe 4 along the length thereof. The electrodes 8 may be arranged in longitudinally spaced electrode pairs, each pair comprising an upstream negatively charged electrode (cathode) and a downstream positively charged electrode (anode), such that the fish are attracted to the positively charged downstream electrode encouraging the fish to swim into the inlet end of the pipe 4 and towards the outlet end of the pipe 4 and thus causing the fish to swim into the pipe 4 and to exit the outlet end of the pipe 4 in a head first orientation. The spacing between the electrodes of each electrode pair in the pipe 4 may be selected as a function of the length of the fish to be oriented. In one embodiment the longitudinal spacing between the electrode pairs may correspond to the average length of the fish to be oriented.
As shown in Figure 2, the electrodes 8 of each pair may located on opposite sides of the pipeline 6 to generate a substantially linear electric field between the each electrode pair when they are connected to a respective DC supply. The electrode pairs may be arranged in overlapping relationship such that the negatively charged electrode of one electrode pair is located opposite the positively charged electrode of an immediately preceding electrode pair while the positively charged electrode is located opposite the negatively charged electrode of an immediately subsequent electrode pair.
Further electrodes may be located within the receiving tank 6 to generate an electric field within the receiving tank adapted to urge the fish towards and into the inlet end of the pipe 4, thus urging the fish to enter the pipe 4 in a head first orientation.
The voltage applied to electrode pairs may be selected to be sufficient to urge the fish to swim towards the exit end of the pipe 4 without stunning or causing medullary collapse in the fish. Typically the power supply connected to the electrodes is adapted such that a voltage gradient of no more than 0.5 volt/cm is generated in the water.
In use, fish are delivered into the receiving tank and the electrodes 8 are energised to generate an electric field in the water, said electric field being oriented to urge the fish to swim towards and into the inlet end of the pipe 4 and through the pipe 4 towards to the outlet end such that the fish leave the pipe 4 in a head first orientation.
The apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention successfully controls the orientation of the fish so that they enter the pipe 4 in a head first orientation and thus leave the pipe 4 in the correct orientation required by the subsequent processing means. However, there can be some delay as the fish find the inlet end of the pipe 4 after entering the receiving tank 6.
In an apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in Figure 3, first and second water filled pipes 12, 14 are fed from a common feed pipe 10, the feed pipe 10 extending at an acute angle into a common inlet pipe 16 having a first end communicating with an upstream end of the first pipe 12 and a second end communicating with an upstream end of the second pipe 14. The first and second pipes 12,14 converge into a common outlet pipe 4 communicating with an upstream processing means.
As with the first embodiment, a plurality of longitudinally spaced electrode pairs 8 are provided within the first and second pipes 12,14 and the outlet pipe 4 along the length thereof, each electrode pair comprising an upstream negatively charged electrode (cathode) and a downstream positively charged electrode (anode), such that the fish are attracted to the positively charged downstream electrode encouraging the fish to swim through one of the first and second pipes 12,14 and subsequently through the outlet pipe 4, thus causing the fish to swim into and to exit the outlet pipe 4 in a head first orientation.
As shown in Figure 3, fish 2 may enter the feed pipe 10 in random orientation, some head first 2A and some tail first 2B.
The fish 2A entering head first are directed towards the first pipe 10 through the 10 inlet pipe 16 and urged to swim towards and through the first pipe 12 and into the outlet pipe 4 by the electric current generated therein by the electrodes 8, such that the fish 2A enter the outlet pipe 4 in a head first orientation.
The fish 2B entering the inlet pipe from the feed pipe 10 in a tail first orientation are 15 urged to swim towards and through the second pipe 14 and into the common outlet pipe 4 by the electric current generated therein by the electrodes 8, such that the fish 2B also enter the outlet pipe 4 in a head first orientation.
This arrangement enables the fish to rapidly assume a head first orientation with 20 minimal delay, the fish 2A passing through the feed pipe 10 in a head first orientation being encouraged to pass through the first pipe 12 in head first orientation and into the outlet pipe 4 while the fish 2B passing through the feed pipe in a tail first orientation being encouraged to pass through the second pipe 14 in head first orientation and subsequently into the outlet pipe 4.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims (10)
1. An apparatus for orienting fish comprising at least one elongate passage containing water through which fish can swim, a plurality of electrodes being located
5 in said at least one passage, said electrodes being connected to a power supply adapted to generate a linear electric field in the water in at least a portion of said at least one passage thereby inducing fish to swim towards an outlet end of the at least one passage such that the first exit the outlet end of the at least one passage in a head first orientation.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrodes are arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs, each pair comprising an upstream negatively charged electrode (cathode) and a downstream positively charged electrode (anode), such that the fish are attracted to the positively charged downstream electrode
15 encouraging the fish to swim towards the outlet end of the at least one passage and thus causing the fish to exit the outlet end of the at least one passage in a head first orientation.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spacing between the electrodes
20 of each electrode pair in the at least one passage are selected as a function of the length of the fish to be oriented.
4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the diameter of the at least an outlet region of said at least one passage is arranged such that the fish
25 cannot turn around within the outlet region of the passage.
5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said at least one passage comprises a pipe communicating with a receiving tank, whereby fish received within said receiving tank are urged to pass into said pipe in a head first
30 orientation by virtue of the electric field generated within said pipe by the electrodes located therein.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein electrodes are provided within said receiving tank coupled to a power supply for generating an electric field within said receiving tank to urge fish therein towards said pipe.
5
7. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said at least one passage comprises first and second passages extending between a common inlet region and a common outlet passage, said inlet region having a first outlet communicating with an inlet end of the first passage and a second outlet communicating with an inlet end of the second passage, outlet ends of said first and
10 second passages converging in an inlet end of said common outlet passage, a feed passage extending at an acute angle into a side of the inlet region in the direction of the first outlet thereof such that fish entering the inlet region from the feed pipe in a head first orientation are directed and urged into the first passage to pass through the first passage and into the common outlet passage in a head first orientation,
15 while fish entering the inlet region from the feed pipe in a tail first direction are directed and urged into the second passage to pass through the second passage and into the common outlet passage in a head first orientation.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said inlet region comprises an
20 elongate pipe having a first end communicating with the first passage and a second end communicating with the second passage, said feed passage opening into the side wall of the inlet region at an acute angle towards the first end of the elongate Pipe25
9. A method of orienting fish comprising of providing at least one elongate passage containing water through which fish can swim, and generating a linear electric field within the water along at least a portion of said at least one passage, thereby inducing the fish to swim towards an outlet end of the at least one passage such that the fish exit the outlet end of the at least one passage in a head first orientation.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said linear electric field generated has a voltage gradient in the water of no more than 0.5 volt/cm.
Intellectual
Property
Office
Application No: GB1618063.0
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1618063.0A GB2555415A (en) | 2016-10-26 | 2016-10-26 | Method and apparatus for orienting fish |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1618063.0A GB2555415A (en) | 2016-10-26 | 2016-10-26 | Method and apparatus for orienting fish |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201618063D0 GB201618063D0 (en) | 2016-12-07 |
| GB2555415A true GB2555415A (en) | 2018-05-02 |
Family
ID=57738287
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1618063.0A Withdrawn GB2555415A (en) | 2016-10-26 | 2016-10-26 | Method and apparatus for orienting fish |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2555415A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN109329363A (en) * | 2018-10-06 | 2019-02-15 | 闵方台 | Reversing mechanism |
| CN109548729A (en) * | 2018-12-30 | 2019-04-02 | 舟山市六横鑫马海水养殖专业合作社 | The little yellow croaker net-box breeding device and its cultural method of more trophic levels |
| WO2024016046A1 (en) * | 2022-07-16 | 2024-01-25 | Genics Pty Ltd | Phenotype identification device |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2991421A (en) * | 1959-11-19 | 1961-07-04 | Volz Charles Daniel | Fish guidance direct current switching devices |
| DE3815228A1 (en) * | 1988-05-05 | 1989-11-16 | Geiger Maschf Helmut | Separating installation for separating pollutants carried along in water and for isolating these pollutants from living fish |
| US5253610A (en) * | 1992-04-27 | 1993-10-19 | Sharber Norman G | Tank for electroanesthetizing fish |
| US20040244712A1 (en) * | 2003-05-23 | 2004-12-09 | James Massey | System and method for controlling fish flow with jet device |
| GB2502816A (en) * | 2012-06-08 | 2013-12-11 | Robin Mckimm | Method and apparatus for slaughtering fish |
-
2016
- 2016-10-26 GB GB1618063.0A patent/GB2555415A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2991421A (en) * | 1959-11-19 | 1961-07-04 | Volz Charles Daniel | Fish guidance direct current switching devices |
| DE3815228A1 (en) * | 1988-05-05 | 1989-11-16 | Geiger Maschf Helmut | Separating installation for separating pollutants carried along in water and for isolating these pollutants from living fish |
| US5253610A (en) * | 1992-04-27 | 1993-10-19 | Sharber Norman G | Tank for electroanesthetizing fish |
| US20040244712A1 (en) * | 2003-05-23 | 2004-12-09 | James Massey | System and method for controlling fish flow with jet device |
| GB2502816A (en) * | 2012-06-08 | 2013-12-11 | Robin Mckimm | Method and apparatus for slaughtering fish |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN109329363A (en) * | 2018-10-06 | 2019-02-15 | 闵方台 | Reversing mechanism |
| CN109329363B (en) * | 2018-10-06 | 2020-12-18 | 苏州果汁网信息科技有限公司 | Reversing mechanism |
| CN109548729A (en) * | 2018-12-30 | 2019-04-02 | 舟山市六横鑫马海水养殖专业合作社 | The little yellow croaker net-box breeding device and its cultural method of more trophic levels |
| CN109548729B (en) * | 2018-12-30 | 2021-08-20 | 舟山市六横鑫马海水养殖专业合作社 | Cage culture device and method for small yellow croakers with multiple nutrition levels |
| WO2024016046A1 (en) * | 2022-07-16 | 2024-01-25 | Genics Pty Ltd | Phenotype identification device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201618063D0 (en) | 2016-12-07 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |