WO2019135015A1

WO2019135015A1 - Octopus-fattening system for open-sea use

Info

Publication number: WO2019135015A1
Application number: PCT/ES2018/070815
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrés QUINTA CORTIÑAS
Original assignee: Quinta Cortinas Andres
Priority date: 2017-12-22
Filing date: 2018-12-19
Publication date: 2019-07-11
Also published as: ES2717674A1; AR123117A1; ES2717674B2

Abstract

The system includes a plurality of cages (1) with breeding compartments (2) secured to a bearing structure (3) and the assembly can be submerged and raised to the surface. Each cage includes an upper member (4) that supports said compartments (2) and a lower member (5) that is removably secured to the bearing structure (3). The upper member (4) is vertically adapted to the lower member (5) and guided in its movements by extrusions (15) vertically connected at the periphery of the upper member (4) and both members (4) and (5) are connected by removable coupling devices (14), the release of which allows the upper member (4) to be extracted vertically with respect to the lower member (5).

Description

PULP ENGORING SYSTEM FOR USE IN OPEN SEA

Technical scope

[0001] This invention relates to an octopus fattening system for use in the open sea, which includes a plurality of cages incorporated on a navigable platform so that the whole can be transported to one or other waters, submerged for the cultivation of species marine or hoisted to surface for the extraction of the crop, as required. The fattening system could also be used for other species and located in the vicinity of the coast and also in rivers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The technique has been providing aquaculture cages initially

designed for anchoring close to the coast, or in bays, or fjords, places where they can be submerged for cultivation and hoisted to the surface for harvesting. The cages are covered with meshes, in order to prevent the unwanted departure of marine species, protect them from attack by predators, allow the passage of water through them and facilitate the exit of animal droppings. Marine species can be fed and their growth controlled so that they can be collected at the appropriate time. To a large extent, the pollution caused by these hatcheries has been avoided by anchoring the cages in the open sea so that the waves and sea currents disperse the pollutants and, for example, controlling the installation from a nearby vessel to submerge or lift the cages through pulleys, guides, cables and dead. The passage of time makes these accessories useless and this method is not satisfactory. For example, JP2009072156A describes an octopus cage, suspended from a floating frame anchored to the seafloor, which can be submerged and hoisted to the surface. The cage contains breeding units, vertically stacked under an outer basket, which are fed through an opening in the basket. The breeding units include breeding frames that incorporate supports for the breeding boats or dwellings or for the octopuses.

[0003] It is evident the strong growth that the use of of culture cages whose level of depth is regulated by ballast tanks. A conventional installation for the fattening of octopuses in the sea includes floating cages at anchor where artificial habitats are available for the octopuses. These small-sized facilities are effective in fattening octopuses, keeping the cage that emerges for cleaning, maintenance, substitution and harvesting submerged. The conception and design of the cages, as well as the handling of them, plays an important role in the optimal performance of the farm. Thus, EP0165160 shows an offshore aquaculture facility including modules with cages, anchored to the seabed and kept separate to avoid local pollution. The installation includes a central structure that is controlled remotely from a terrestrial infrastructure, in addition to

pipes for the transport of fluids and energy from the central structure to the modules. The ascent and descent of modules and cages is done by emptying or filling the elements that, around the modules, provide flotation.

[0004] When industrialized cultivation or high facilities are required

performance the grouping of the cages becomes evident and, with this, the operative inherent to the maintenance of the installation and the individual handling of each cage or fattening module must be improved. However, since the grouping of the cages can cause the pollution of the volume of water that contains them, due to the lack of oxygenation and the droppings of the cultivated organisms, it is necessary to enable their immediate transfer in order to avoid local pollution, being in this way the renewed water and the dispersed droppings.

[0005] The solution to the proposed problems is proposed with the octopus fattening system for use in the open sea, in which a plurality of culture cages are superiorly and removably fixed to a navigable platform with the purpose that the set can be transported, or self-transported where appropriate, to the required waters, submerged for the rearing of the octopuses or hoisted to the surface for collection or to carry out maintenance work, as required. Object of the invention

[0006] One purpose of the invention is to provide an installation or navigable system in open waters for fattening of octopuses in the open sea that allows increasing the population density of the octopuses with respect to known facilities.

[0007] Another purpose of this invention is to provide an installation or system

navigable for aquaculture, in particular for the fattening of octopi in the open sea, offering easy and complete control for the breeding of these organisms, allowing rapid transport and the ascent and descent of culture cages accompanying the navigable platform the portals, facilitating the individual or collective management of

crop containers and that their movements and maintenance can be controlled remotely. Other purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Description of the invention

[0008] The octopus fattening system for use in the open sea includes a

plurality of breeding, fattening or culture cages fixed removably on a supporting structure, such as a punt or navigable platform provided with floatation means that allow its immersion or emersion and equipped with propulsion means when required. The supporting structure forces the cages in all their

movements and displacements. The rapid mobility of the facility ensures the continuous renewal of the local volume of water and improves local oxygenation, so that the population density of the octopuses can be increased without harming the habitat. In addition, the set can be brought to different depth levels for breeding or hoisting

surface in maintenance work or for harvesting.

Significantly, the system allows to position the appropriate number of cages on the bearing structure according to the observed local pollution.

[0009] Each cage in the system is constructed so as to allow the passage of water therethrough, although sufficiently strong to withstand the onslaught of waves and sea currents, for example using metal extrusions of steel or aluminum.

[0010] The bearing and navigable structure, for example, is preferred constructed with a network of tubes formed with weather-stable materials, such as high-density polyethylene, although the use of other plastic polymers or the use of metals is not ruled out. or of

Metal alloys, such as stainless steel. All or part of the tubes of the structure compartmentalized with partitions and the structure equipped with a valvular system that allows the drainage and selective subsidence of the compartments, for use as a submersible platform.

It is obvious to complete the load-bearing structure with lateral reinforcements of mooring, means of governability, directional means, stabilizers, levelers, markers, or other elements that can be

characteristic in this type of platforms. It is also evident the incorporation of means for the supply of food and other means to control the structure remotely.

[0011] The cages are preferred of prismatic structure, although also

Other shape structures could be used. The cages include a prismatic structured upper member, preferably with a hexagonal base, on the sides of which are suitable dwellings to contain the marine species to be cultivated. The cages also include a lower member whose base is also polygonal, although by economics it is preferred with fewer sides and to be fixed to the structure by any conventional means of joining, welding, riveting, fasteners, etc., although better if the connection is removable, temporary and not definitive.

[0012] In positional correspondence with the emergent amounts of the

lower member and vertically connected in certain areas of its perimeter, the upper member incorporates metal extrusions that contribute to the guidance of the upper member in the lower member, or vice versa, in its vertical displacements.

[0013] The upper member structures its upper base by means of a polygonal frame from whose sides emerge uprights, which extend vertically and downwards to determine a hollow prismatic reinforcement, lacking inferior base. Ensuring the verticality of the uprights, a plurality of crossbars forming hexagonal rings are connected, horizontally and vertically separated, by contouring the set of uprights in the upper member. The arrangement of the crosspieces contouring the uprights contributes to providing, on the sides of the upper member, supports for the breeding compartments, once incorporated additional hexagonal rings of smaller perimeter connected by spacing crosspieces to the outer rings.

In addition, the structure of the upper member is reinforced by adding vertical uprights to the inner rings.

[0014] The lower member structures its lower base by a frame

polygonal from whose vertices arise uprights that extend vertical upwards and can be extended by complementary uprights until reaching the required height and delimiting a receiver armor of the upper member, since the positional correspondence between the emergent uprights of the lower member and the extrusions of the The upper member ensures the accommodation between both members and helps to facilitate the guided displacements in the ascent or descent of the upper member with respect to the lower member. The complementary polyethylene uprights to cushion the rattle between both members.

[0015] It is evident from the foregoing that in a position of use coincident with the rearing or fattening position, the upper member will have been guided in the lower member and the submerged installation, although it should also be understood that the upper member will result vertically. removable and separated from the lower member, normally after emersion, to a second collecting position.

[0016] The protective meshes that must protect the cages are arranged by their edges in retaining structures. These structures include metal extrusions preferably connected, vertical and

externally, to the vertices of the polygonal rings on the sides of the upper limbs and, depending on the dimensions thereof, also incorporated in intermediate and / or predetermined positions of its longitude. For the purpose of replacing the meshes, without detriment to the required protection, the metal extrusions include two elongated openings that extend parallel along their length and in each of them a plastic extrusion is connected which also includes an elongated aperture of equal length oriented to receive the next mesh edge to be retained.

[0017] Lovable blocking elements, conventional or not, allow to be

arranged between the upper and lower members of each cage, preferably connecting the proximal uprights of both members, upper and lower, so that in a first locking position in which the uprights are connected the sliding between both members is impossible and, in a second release position, in which the uprights are no longer connected, it is consented that the upper member can be moved upwards and up to its total separation from the lower member when raised with the assistance of a crane or any other means of lifting established on the supporting structure or immediate to it, such as an auxiliary vessel.

[0018] The connection of the lower member of each cage to the supporting structure is facilitated by incorporating under the polygonal frame a supporting element provided with an adaptation surface, generally curved with a radius close to the radius of the flotation tubes of the structure carrier to which said lower member is connected, and which, upon request can be completed with the inclusion of a complementary element to structure the grip that ensures the connection of the cages to the supporting structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] An exemplary embodiment, not limiting, of an octopus fattening system for use in the open sea is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1

[0020] Figure 1 is an elevational view of a cage according to the invention

showing the upper limb and the lower limb separated.

Fig.2 [0021] Figure 2 is an elevational view of the cage in correspondence with Figure 1 although with both members gathered, one housed in the other.

Fig.3

[0022] Figure 3 is a cross section of the upper member of the cage

shown in Figure 2, made below the frame of the upper member and illustrating the guiding correspondence between the uprights of the lower member and the vertical extrusions in the upper member.

The remaining members of the lower member have been omitted.

Fig.4

[0023] Figure 4 is a top view and on a larger scale of the upper cage member, in correspondence with Figure 3 and illustrating the arrangement of the breeding habitat.

Fig.5

[0024] Figure 5 is a schematic view, on a smaller scale, of the elevation of an aquaculture facility according to the system and illustrates the vertical displacement of the upper member of a cage with respect to the lower member that is observed fixed to the platform.

Fig.6

[0025] Figure 6 is a plan view of the aquaculture facility according to the system, in correspondence with Figure 5 and illustrates an example of distribution of the cages.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0026] With reference to the figures, a plurality of cages (1) containing

Nursery rooms (2), according to figures 1 to 4, are connected to a supporting structure (3), as shown in figures 5 and 6. Each cage (1) is observed with an upper member (4) carrying the breeding compartments (2) and with a lower member (5) to be connected to the supporting structure (3) which, in addition, and in order to provide the cage (1), provides temporary accommodation to the upper member (4) after its insertion by vertical sliding in the lower member (5) and from which it can be extracted by sliding in the reverse direction to decompose the cage (1); so that the lower member (5) still remains connected to the supporting structure (3) while the upper member (4) carrying the Nursery rooms (2) can be completely separated from the installation, for example, to collect the crop.

[0027] As shown in the figures, the upper member (4), in the example, is constructed with the hexagonal frame (6), from which emerge, vertical downwards, uprights (7) which are kept parallel with the connection of crossbars (9) vertically spaced, which in the example shown in figures 3 and 4 structure connected hexagonal rings

externally to the uprights (7). In the proposed example, the

crossbars (9) extend horizontally inwards by means of hexagonal rings of successive smaller perimeter, supported by spacers (10) connected to internal uprights (8), so that the assembly of the crossbars (9) determines the support of the interiors ( 2) of breeding. Thus, an open prismatic receptacle is structured in whose sides laterally the breeding compartments (2) are supported.

[0028] Returning to figures 1 and 2, the lower member (5) is integrated by a polygonal base or frame (11), although with fewer sides than the upper, rhomboidal member in the example and generally metallic, which includes posts (12) connected at their vertices. The posts (12), generally portions of a tubular aluminum extrusion, emerge vertical and upward in a short extension.

Additional polyethylene posts (12a) are adapted to the uprights (12), using pins (14) or other removable coupling devices through through corresponding openings (13) present in the uprights (12) and (12a), in order to eliminate or reduce rattling between both members, upper (4) and lower (5), when the cages (1) are in use.

[0029] Extrusions (15) of metal, of a length close to the height of the upper member (4) of the cages (1), emerge vertically downwards from the lower face of the frame (6) to which they are connected and, in their case, also connected to the outer periphery of the upper member (4). In any case, arranged in appropriate positional correspondence to ensure sliding relative to the uprights (12a) and (12) in the positions of use that the upper member (4) can maintain relative to the lower member (5).

[0030] Since in the preferred embodiment of the invention the polyethylene is used in the complementary uprights (12a) as a damping element of the rattle between both members (4) and (5), and this forces its adaptation to the hollow uprights ( 12), using removable coupling devices (14), such as pins that pass through the openings (13), these same devices (14) could be used as blocking elements that would maintain or release the union between both

members, superior (4) and inferior (5), arranging additional

corresponding openings (13) in the extrusions (15) and also through these with the devices (14).

[0031] Similarly, the receptacle defined in the lower member (5) and

between the frame (11), the uprights (12) and the uprights

complementary (12a), is open superiorly to receive the upper member (4), after which, the cage (1) formed, or each member separately, can be covered by a protective mesh (16) of easy replacement. In the example and as best seen in figures 3 and 4, the lateral edges of the meshes (16) are conventionally fixed in elongated openings (17) provided in the plastic extrusions (19) contained in the metal extrusions (18a) and (18b) which, structured to be respectively incorporated adapted to the corners and walls of the upper member (4), integrate the retaining structures (18).

[0032] Each of the metal extrusions (18a) and (18b) includes a double

housing to allow the incorporation in each housing of a plastic extrusion (19), in order to replace a damaged mesh (16) with a new one without the need for the cage (1) to remain open.

[0033] As the figures show, better Figure 4, the hexagonal frame (6) in the upper member (4), is constructed with two parallel crossbars (20), between which the passage opening (21) is defined. food for the young, to be properly sealed, either by a closing door, or by a mesh. On the crossbars (20) are shown latching arrangements (22) for the hook of a crane or other lifting mechanism.

[0034] As illustrated in Figure 5, the lower member (5) of the cages (1) is inferiorly provided with support elements (23) configured with an adaptation surface to the outer periphery of the flotation tubes (24) that they pass through the larger diameter flotation tubes (25) in the supporting structure (3) to which the lower member (5) is connected.

[0035] In the example, the supporting structure (3) incorporates floats (26)

vertical as well as mooring sides (27) and gangways (28). To facilitate the operativeness in the installation, between the cages (1) and more specifically in the upper part of the same could be incorporated walkways access to the roof of the cages (1).

[0036] The invention has been described according to the illustrated embodiment.

It is evident the possibility of providing modifying details and / or of replacing certain elements or provisions with equivalent ones or adding complementary devices of known type, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. 1. Octopus fattening system for use in the open sea that includes a plurality of cages (1) containing breeding rooms (2) and a supporting structure (3) for said plurality of cages, each cage (1) permeable to water to support marine currents and said plurality of cages (1) being able to be submerged and lifted to the surface in said supporting structure (3) by pneumatic and hydraulic means, characterized in that:

- each cage (1) includes a top member (4) that carries said rearing rooms (2) and a lower member (5) that remains fixed, removably, on the supporting structure (3);

- said members (4) and (5) structured with polygonal frames (6) and (11) from which vertical uprights (7) and (12) emerge respectively, said uprights (7) extended downwards in the polygonal frame (6) of the member

(4) upper to form a lower open receptacle in which said rearing rooms (2) and said uprights (12) extended upwardly of the polygonal frame (11) of the member are arranged in an orderly manner.

(5) bottom determining a top open container;

- the upper member (4) vertically adapted to the lower member (5) and guided in its displacements by vertically connected extrusions (15) at the periphery of the upper member (4)

- both members (4) and (5) connected by removable coupling devices (14), whose release allows the vertical extraction of the upper member (4) with respect to the lower member (5);

- said supporting structure (3) being navigable and ballasted so that it can float at different levels and said plurality of cages (1), with its members

(4) and (5) temporarily connected and covered with protective screens (16), accompany the supporting structure (3) in its movements.

2. 2. Octopus fattening system for use in the open sea, according to

claim 1, characterized in that said removable coupling devices (14) that relate both upper and lower members (4) and

(5), selectively adopt a first position or a second position, maintaining the coupling device (14), in the first position, the immobility of the sliding between both members (4) and (5), and allowing , in the second position, that the upper member (4), released from its connection, it can be displaced upwards until it is separated from the lower member (5) when it is lifted by means of a crane or other lifting mechanism established on the supporting structure (3) or on an auxiliary vessel.

3. 3. Octopus fattening system for use in the open sea, according to

previous claims, characterized in that said polygonal frame (11) of the lower member (5) includes support elements (23) configured with a surface of adaptation to the outer periphery of the flotation tubes (24) of the supporting structure (3) a the said lower member (5) is connected.

4. Octopus fattening system for use in the open sea, according to

previous claims, characterized in that said polygonal frame (6) of the upper member (4) includes a feed opening (21) and latching arrangements (22) to a crane or other lifting mechanism established on the supporting structure (3) or in an auxiliary vessel

5. 5. Octopus fattening system for use in the open sea, according to

previous claims, characterized in that said protective meshes (16) are incorporated by their edges into the plastic extrusion openings (19) contained in the metal extrusions (18a) and (18b) which, together, integrate the retaining structures (18).