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
  • A01K63/00—Receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria; Terraria
  • A01K63/02—Receptacles specially adapted for transporting live fish

Definitions

• the invention comprises a method and a device of the type stated in the introduction to Claim 1 for the preservation and transport of live fish.
• US Patent 4 844 012 describes placing fish individually in narrow cages and supplying water enriched with oxygen to the fish in the area surrounding their gills.
• the fluid from the chamber and the excretory liquid containing ammonia are removed from the chamber and fed through the circulation system for water treatment and supply of water enriched with oxygen. This places great demands on the treatment system, this includes a separate system for ammonia removal.
• the main objective with the invention is to find a method and a device for the preservation and transport of living fish over long distances, where the total transport weight is reduced thus lowering the transport costs.
• a particular objective is to find a method and a device for the preservation and transport of living fish that makes it possible to reduce the amount of water that has to be involved, so as to increase the relationship between the effective cargo and the total cargo.
• Claims 1 and 2 define a new method and a new device for the preservation and transport of living fish over long distances.
• the invention makes it possible to achieve such great reductions in the amount of water that air transport of live fish is considerably cheaper than previously.
• the invention thus makes it possible to supply consumers at large distances from the place of farming or the place where living fish are landed.
• the invention is primarily intended for the long-distance transport of valuable fish such as salmon, halibut and turbot. But in principle the invention can also be used for the mass transport of less expensive fish for consumption, even though it will be most appropriate to slaughter such non-valuable fish for consumption at or near the place it is fished and transport it in a refrigerated or other form.
• the invention can also be used for the preservation and transport of fish in other connections than being transported to consumers. A feasible application in this context would be the preservation of fish for scientific purposes.
• Fig. 1 shows a schematic lateral perspective of a fish placed in a transport container that is in accordance with the invention
• Fig. 2 shows a plane perspective from above of the supply nozzle.
• FIG 1 there is a fish 11, such as a farmed salmon that is ready to be sold for consumption.
• the fish is placed in an elongated bag or container 12 of impermeable plastic- or rubber foil.
• the container 12 can be appropriately kept rolled prior to use, with a base plate 13, that is designed to allow two pipes or tubes to pass tightly through, ready for rolling onto the fish.
• Behind the tail of the fish the container can be sealed by a clamp or a rubber seal 14.
• a supply tube 15 with a stop disc 16 is inserted into the mouth of the fish 17.
• the free end of this supply tube can be fitted with a perforated sphere to distribute the water that is supplied to the inlet of the gills in the mouth of the fish.
• a Y-shaped suction clamp 18 with two branched ends 19A and 19B that are to be fitted to the gills 20 of the fish.
• the branched ends 19A and 19B can be shaped like the bent side supports in spectacles, with sealed ends and perforations in the end area for the suction of water. The transfer of water from the head to the tail of the fish is prevented by making the container 12 so tight that it presses against the widest part of the fish or there is an elastic ring 21 around the fish in this area such as a rubber band.
• the supply tube 15 is connected to a water supply system that is not illustrated that supplies fresh water, rich in oxygen at a low pressure, from a pump connected to a water supply container.
• a water layer will be formed that supplies water to the gills 20 of the fish and thereby gives the fish the necessary means to stay alive.
• the suction clamp 18 is connected to a suction system for removing the water that comes out from the gills of the fish, the water that is sucked out is supplied to a circulation and treatment arrangement with a suction pump.
• the elastic ring 21 divides the container 12 into a front chamber by the gills where there is a slight underpressure because of the suction through the suction clamp 18, and a rear chamber that collects the urine from the fish.
• the tightening of the container 12 around the fish can also be achieved by designing the container with a flexible tapering. Other means can be used to divide the two chambers from each other. This division does not have to be completely tight, and it can tolerate a slight seepage of water from the front to the rear chamber.
• the container 12 only stretches as far back as the band 21 or a similar tapering.
• the throughflow of the water will be so slow so that itwill not be necessary to treat the water that is led out of the rear chamber.
• the contaminated water can thus be caught in the simplest manner and emptied upon arrival at the destination and when the fish are removed.
• the main part of the water supplied will be recirculated through the suction clamp 18. This creates an underpressure in the front chamber that suchs out air and presses the container in towards the body of the fish, thus reducing the amount of water that is transported along with the fish in the front chamber.
• the water supply through the tube 16 can be aided by oxygen enriched water. If this is combined with the direct supply to the gill area 18, this can help to minimize the amount of water.
• Numerous fish in containers 12 can be tranported together in specially designed large containers, such as a case moulded in a foamed material (not illustrated).
• the water supply and water suction to and from the respective containers 12 is achieved by connecting the supply tubes 15 and the suction tubes 18 in series.
• the water supply can come from an existing water network, in connection with still storage, for example.
• a circulation network can be used with an in-built treatment plant for removing contamination created by the fish during storage and transport.
• An alternative is to have a water system without a treatment plant for use during transport over short distances. It can also be relevant to combine the use of plastic with pores and inserted blocks of hygroscopic materials designed to keep the fish moist and for the collection of excretory matter.
• the last alternative has the advantage that it can be produced in such inexpensive, light materials that it reduces the problem of returning packaging, this includes taking care of valuable packaging materials.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19893345

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (6)

Citations (2)

• 1990
  • 1990-07-10 NO NO903071A patent/NO170613C/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1991
  • 1991-06-25 WO PCT/NO1991/000091 patent/WO1992000667A1/en unknown

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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