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
  • A01K61/60—Floating cultivation devices, e.g. rafts or floating fish-farms
• • 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
  • A01K63/00—Receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria; Terraria
  • A01K63/04—Arrangements for treating water specially adapted to receptacles for live fish
• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a semi-closed or closed net cage construction
• a semi-closed or closed net cage construction comprising an external flexible canvas bag suspended in a floating collar and with an inner net, where fresh water is sucked in by means of a number of suction pipes which are attached to the floating collar and project into the sea, and which bring the water to flow into the net cage construction via a number of upper water inlets.
• the current solution is vulnerable if there is a power failure and the pumps that take in water stop. As long as the water flows out of the outlet and the pumps stop, the bag will be able to collapse, and fish will escape.
• the hatches are mechanical, rotatable hatches that are placed circumferentially around the net cage wall, and which can be opened and closed to control water flow in the net cage.
• the wall of the net cage is preferably provided with rows of panels fitted with hatch openings, and where the hatch is comprising a rear wall for sealing the opening when the hatch is in the closed position.
• the net cage is further comprising side walls, a front wall and a water- permeable bottom fitted with a first grid.
• NO 332341 B1 NO 175341 B, NO 342403 B1 and NO 340026 B1 as examples of closed net cages.
• the new solution includes a watertight flexible membrane bag or canvas bag that has significant new features with consequent advantages and innovation.
• a semi-closed or closed net cage construction comprising an external flexible canvas bag suspended in a floating collar and with an inner net, where fresh water is sucked in by a number of suction pipes which are attached to the floating collar projecting into the sea and causing the water to flow into the net cage construction via a number of upper water inlets.
• the canvas bag is divided into several zones, where an upper zone is comprising an approximately vertical wall, a central zone connected to the upper zone, where the central zone is comprising a number of water outlets of canvas material distributed with mutual distance around the circumference, said water outlets comprise outlet pipes with inflatable balloon valves, and a lower zone connected to the central zone and which forms a conical shape with a drain at the bottom for the removal of waste particles.
• the central zone of the canvas bag can be comprising a reinforced canvas belt with said water outlet, where the water outlets are individually able to be opened and closed to regulate water flow in the net cage construction.
• the central zone can have a smaller circumference than the upper zone.
• Respective inflatable balloon valves can be comprising several canvas sides welded together in the outlet tube to form a watertight and inflatable balloon which fills the outlet tube.
• outlet pipes to the water outlets are usually made of a canvas material.
• Respective inflatable balloon valves can be connected via a compressed air hose to a compressor on the net cage construction, for blowing air into and extracting air from, respectively, the balloon valves.
• the compressor can further be connected to a control system for regulating respective inflatable balloon valves, whereby water flow in each water outlet can be controlled individually.
• the water outlets can be surrounded by an outer canvas bag arranged to direct outflowing water to one or more vertical main outlets.
• the main outlet can similarly be equipped with a balloon valve which is supplied with air via a compressed air line.
• the net cage construction further in the upper part, can comprise one or more inflatable and buoyancy-regulating floating tubes.
• Respective inflatable floating tubes can be connected via a compressed air hose to a compressor on the net cage construction.
• the canvas bag can also be comprising a number of inner and strengthening brackets which extend completely or partially circumferentially around the canvas bag.
• the upper zone can be comprising a number of said upper water inlets.
• Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a net cage construction according to the invention.
• Figure 2 shows the net cage construction in figure 1 seen from above.
• Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a net cage construction according to the invention.
• Figures 4a, 4b show a valve for use in the net cage construction, where the valve is in the closed state.
• Figures 5a, 5b show the valve shown in figures 4a, 4b in open condition.
• Figure 6 shows a drain for use in the net cage construction.
• the invention relates to a closed or semi-closed net cage construction 10, hereinafter called net cage, which floats in a known manner on a water surface 48.
• the net cage 10 is comprising a floating collar 16 with equipment for operating the net cage.
• the net cage further is comprising an outer canvas 12 of a canvas material, such as a membrane material, and an inner net 14 which houses the fish.
• the internal net is illustratively referred to by reference number 14.
• Water is supplied by means of preferably several water inputs in the form of suction pipes 18 attached to the floating collar 16. The water is taken from a lower layer in the sea under the lice belt and added inside the net cage 10 so that a flow of rotating water flow is set up which the fish swim against and become more robust.
• the water is added to the net cage 10 via a number of upper water inlets 20 located in or at the floating collar 16.
• the water inlets or water sprayers are directionally adjustable for spreading and agitating the water and are illustrated by the arrows in figure 2.
• Oxygen can be added from either oxygen generators or oxygen tanks on the land.
• the net cage construction 10 in the upper part can be comprising one or more inflatable floating tubes 28, which are connected via a compressed air hose 36 to a compressor 34 on the net cage construction.
• the canvas bag 12 is divided into several zones 12a, 12b, 12c, where an upper zone 12a is comprising an approximately vertical wall, preferably with a number of said upper water inlets 20 for supplying the water, a central zone 12b connected to the upper zone 12a, where the central zone 12b is comprising a number of water outlets 24 of a canvas material spaced apart around the circumference, and a lower zone 12c connected to the central zone 12b and forming a conical shape with a drain 26 at the bottom for removal of waste particles.
• an upper zone 12a is comprising an approximately vertical wall, preferably with a number of said upper water inlets 20 for supplying the water
• a central zone 12b connected to the upper zone 12a, where the central zone 12b is comprising a number of water outlets 24 of a canvas material spaced apart around the circumference
• a lower zone 12c connected to the central zone 12b and forming a conical shape with a drain 26 at the bottom for removal of waste particles.
• central zone is meant a zone between the upper and lower zones 12a, 12c and need not be a centred zone in the net cage construction.
• the central zone 12b can be comprising six water outlets 24 spaced apart circumferentially about the canvas bag 12.
• the central zone 12b can in its simplest form consist of a part of the canvas bag 12 and constitute a canvas belt 22 around the canvas bag 12.
• the canvas belt can also be a reinforced canvas belt 22, reinforced for example with one or more additional canvas layers.
• the canvas belt 22 is shown in the figures as a narrow canvas belt, but can, if desired, extend well up on the upper zone 12a of the canvas bag 12.
• the central zone 12b can have the same circumference as the upper zone 12a, or as shown in the figures have a smaller circumference than the upper zone 12a.
• a smaller circumference can be made by means of the canvas belt 22 which keeps the central zone 12b tight.
• a number of inner and strengthening brackets 46 can be used which extend wholly or partially circumferentially about the canvas bag 12.
• a strengthening bracket 46 can be used in the upper vertical wall of the canvas bag 12 and a strengthening bracket 46 of smaller diameter in an area above the central zone 12b, as shown in the figures, so that a transition area is formed with a tapered canvas bag 12 in the lower part of the upper zone 12a.
• the drain 26 is usually in the form of a funnel which is mounted to the lower part of the canvas 12, such as the lower zone 12c.
• the drain 26 can be made of fiberglass and welded to the canvas 12.
• the drain is shown in figure 6. From the drain 26 a drain line 38 runs up to the upper part of the net cage construction 10.
• the water outlets 24 in the central zone 12b of the canvas bag 12 comprise canvas outlet pipes with inflatable sealing balloons or balloon valves 30 which are individually able to be closed and opened to regulate water flow in the net cage 10.
• the canvas bag 12 or the water outlets 24 can internally in the canvas bag be equipped with a filter or grid which prevents unwanted particles from being dragged into the water outlets.
• a number of such horizontal water outlets 24 placed in an annular shape in the central zone 12b will be able to reduce the sinking rate of the waste in this area of the net cage and prevent the waste from entering the water outlets by making the projected discharge area almost zero.
• Experiments performed on waste indicate that almost all waste such as feed waste and faeces from the fish sinks faster than 2.5 cm/sec.
• the result is a simple, reliable and cost-effective transport away from the net cage and a simple and cost-effective drying process of the waste, for example in a treatment process plant on land away from the net cage.
• FIG. 3 shows a further variant of the invention.
• the net cage 10 is designed in the same way as shown and described in connection with figures 1 and 2.
• the canvas belt 22 and the outlets 24 are surrounded by a canvas bag 40 or tube which is tunnel-shaped, and which directs outflowing water to one or more main vertical outlets 42, where the arrows in figure 3 illustratively show water flowing out of the main outlet 42 and vertically down into the sea.
• the main outlet 42 is provided with a corresponding balloon valve 44 as the water outlets 24 and is supplied with air via a compressed air line 32a.
• This solution is relevant if the intake line of water into the net cage is to be taken from a deeper level, as it is not desirable that the intake and outlet of water are too close to each other. It has been pointed out by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority that drains from the semi-closed net cages must always be below and at a good distance from water intake.
• the water outlets 24, and the main outlet 44 if used, in the central zone 12b of the canvas bag 12 comprise, as mentioned, outlet pipes with inflatable balloon valves 30, and are shown in more detail in figures 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b.
• the outlet pipes are made of canvas material similar to the canvas bag 12.
• the inflatable balloon valves 30 are comprising several layers of canvas which are welded together on opposite sides inside the outlet tube to form a watertight and inflatable balloon.
• two canvas sides 30a, 30b can be welded inside the outlet tube, which is also made of canvas, so that the canvas sides are directly opposite each other, and which are connected to the compressed air line 32, or the compressed air line 32a in the case of the balloon valve 44 in the main outlet 42.
• the canvas sides 30a, 30b when filled with air, expand so that they fill the outlet tube like a balloon, as shown in figure 4b with the internally shaded field.
• Respective inflatable balloon valves 30, 44 are connected via the compressed air hose (s) 32, 32a to a compressor 34 on the net cage construction 10, for blowing air into, and extracting air from, respectively, the balloon valves. Furthermore, the compressor 34 can be connected to a control system for regulating respective inflatable balloon valves 30, 44, whereby water flow in each water outlet 24 or main outlet 42 can be controlled individually. To ensure that the balloon valves close in the event of a power failure in the net cage 10, the compressor 34 can be connected to a battery pack so that the balloon valves inflate and close.
• the flexible canvas bag 12 made of membrane material is free of heavier metallic components, it can be mounted and dismounted in a very simple and cost- effective manner.
• the balloon valves help to ensure that the canvas bag can be made completely closed, and thus be able to be filled with water and mounted without the need for a diving team being present.
• the canvas bag 12 can be laid winched into the net cage by the canvas bag being laid out on deck in a ball and then the whole canvas bag is pulled into the net cage by a winch on the opposite side of where the work boat docks. After the canvas bag has been pulled into the net cage, it must be filled with water, which is then carried out by existing pumps that have already been mounted and connected to the floating collar.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Barrages (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=82399708

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (4)

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Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2021
  • 2021-06-16 NO NO20210776A patent/NO346372B1/no unknown
• 2022
  • 2022-06-15 WO PCT/NO2022/050134 patent/WO2022265515A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (5)

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