Abstract: A method and apparatus for evaluating a live shellfish (S), especially a lobster or crab, to determine the MC, or meat ratio (meat divided by meat plus water). A pair of transducer devices (12, 14) are pressed against opposite sides of the shell of a live shellfish to determine the velocity of sound through it. The transducer devices are pressed without substantially deforming or cracking the shell, to avoid injury to the shellfish. Good acoustic coupling to the shell is achieved by applying a sound-transmitting gel (240, 242) to the face of each transducer device. If the velocity 1560 m/sec, this indicates an MC of 7%, indicating that the shellfish is unsuitable for harvest. If the velocity 1660 m/sec. then this indicates an MC of 19%, which indicates that the shellfish is ready for harvesting, that is, for shipping to restaurants or markets for human consumption. A velocity of 1600 m/sec. indicates an MC of 12% which is about a borderline between acceptance and rejection.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for underwater self-contained and remotely controllable tagging of marine fauna involves emplacement of a tagging unit that can be used for example in a fishing trawl and establishment of communications with the unit through a cable wire that may be conventional. Numerous types of information can be recorded in relation to the tagging, including two- and/or three-dimensional images of the animal, to be used at a later date when the tagged animal is recovered. The method decreases tagging mortality and the biological effects of tagging on the animals, since they are not exposed to temperature and pressure changes, human handling and, at times, anesthesia. The embodiment makes it possible to tag deep-sea species that have never been tagged due to the fact that they would not survive the ambient changes of coming to the water's surface.

Abstract: A fish resuscitating apparatus includes a container of pressurized oxygen-rich fluid medium such as a gas or liquid. A valve controllably couples the fluid medium to a dispensing tip which is dimensioned to fit within the mouth of the fish. The dispensing tip is porous or perforated to allow the fluid to enter the mouth of the fish for aiding the fish in recovering from being caught. A kit of parts includes a container, a valve, and a plurality of tips of different dimensions, for use with different types of fish.

Abstract: A method of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) in an ocean comprises testing an area of the surface of a deep open ocean in order to determine both the nutrients that are missing and the diffusion coefficient, applying to the area in a spiral pattern a first fertilizer that comprises a missing nutrient, and measuring the amount of carbon dioxide that has been sequestered. The fertilizer preferably comprises an iron chelate that prevents the iron from precipitating to any significant extent. The preferred chelates include lignin, and particularly lignin acid sulfonate. The method may further comprise applying additional fertilizers, and reporting the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered. The method preferably includes applying a fertilizer in pulses. Each fertilizer releases each nutrient over time in the photic zone and in a form that does not precipitate.

Abstract: A method of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) in an ocean comprises testing an area of the surface of a deep open ocean in order to determine both the nutrients that are missing and the diffusion coefficient, applying to the area in a spiral pattern a first fertilizer that comprises a missing nutrient, and measuring the amount of carbon dioxide that has been sequestered. The application of the first fertilizer in a spiral pattern results in a patch of fertilizer where the concentration of the fertilizer does not vary by more than about 50% within two days of the local application. The concentration of the fertilizer at the center of the patch does not decrease through diffusion by more than about 5% during a time period of about 20 days after the application of the patch of fertilizer. The method may further comprise applying additional fertilizers, and reporting the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered. The method preferably includes applying a fertilizer in pulses.

Abstract: This invention aims to provide a method for transport and/or storage of live baits adapted to alleviate a lose occurring in the course of transport and/or storage and to maintain a freshness of the live baits for a long period. The method according to the invention comprises making artificial muddy sand used to transport and/or store live baits. The method comprises the steps of: immersing paper products in artificial seawater to fibrillate the paper products; preparing a mixture of plants cellulose fiber of the paper product fibrillated in the artificial seawater and muddy sand of the live baits' native seashore; and forming granular artificial muddy sand containing an amount of seawater from the mixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a compact culture system to produce microalgae, live food animals and fish fry (new born fish) in a serial manner. The culture system is composed of three individual reactors of same size positioned in different levels on three shelves of a frame. In the top-level reactor, microalgae is grown symbiotically with fish. With so grown microalgae, live food animals in the middle-level reactor are fed. Finely, the live food animals are transferred into the bottom-level reactor to feed fry in it. Culture water in the system is self-cleaned by the metabolic activity of the photosynthetic microalgae, and is circulated through the reactors continuously or intermittently. Heaters, thermometers, aerators, illuminators, and water pumps are equipped in the system to offer optimal growth conditions for the organisms. Extra electric outlets are provided for the use of pH-meters, oxygen-meters, carbon dioxide-meters, ammonia-meters when needed to control the water quality.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for growing the microflora Thraustochytrium, Schizochytrium, and mixtures thereof, which includes the growing of the microflora in fermentation medium containing non-chloride containing sodium salts, in particular sodium sulfate. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process produces microflora having a cell aggregate size useful for the production of food products for use in aquaculture. Further disclosed is a food product which includes Thraustochytrium, Schizochytrium, and mixtures thereof, and a component selected from flaxseed, rapeseed, soybean and avocado meal. Such a food product includes a balance of long chain and short chain omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids. The lipids containing these fatty acids can also be extracted and used in nutritional, pharmaceutical and industrial applications.

Abstract: A vehicular machine for planting shellfish seedlings in the seafloor has a seeding drum with water inlet ports in its outer circumferential surface through which a suction is applied to pick up shellfish seedlings from a hopper, move them to a position close to the seafloor and deposit them onto the seafloor. The machine includes a net and apparatus for unwinding and placing the net on the seafloor over the deposited seedlings as the machine moves forward.

Abstract: A dietary inclusion model for an integrated aquaculture-hydroponics system is derived from the concept of mass conservation. The model enables the maintenance of near-equilibrium concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, N, and P, suitable concentrations of Mn and Cu, and acceptable accumulation rates of Na and Zn, in representative integrated aquaculture-hydroponics systems, by modifying the mineral concentrations of the fish diets according to the model. The model is readily applicable to virtually any freshwater recirculating fish culture system operating at a recycle ratio sufficiently high to maintain appropriate nitrogen concentrations and having an environment suitable for hydroponic plant culture.

Abstract: A method of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) in an ocean comprises testing an area of the surface of a deep open ocean in order to determine the nutrients that are missing, applying to the area a first fertilizer that comprises an iron chelate, and measuring the amount of carbon dioxide that has been sequestered. The method may further comprise applying additional fertilizers, and reporting the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered. The method preferably includes applying a fertilizer in pulses. Each fertilizer releases each nutrient over time in the photic zone and in a form that does not precipitate.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for reliably and selectively releasing a data acquisition package from an animal for recovery. The data package comprises two parts: 1) an animal data acquisition device and 2) a co-located release apparatus. One embodiment, which is useful for land animals, the release apparatus includes two major components: 1) an electronics package, comprising a receiver; a decoder comparator, having at plurality of individually selectable codes; and an actuator circuit and 2) a release device, which can be a mechanical device, which acts to release the data package from the animal. To release a data package from a particular animal, a radio transmitter sends a coded signal which is decoded to determine if the code is valid for that animal data package. Having received a valid code, the release device is activated to release the data package from the animal for subsequent recovery.

Abstract: A mobile system for directing fish away from danger points at an underwater structure includes multiple submersible flash heads operatively connected to a power and control center installed inside a trailer. The flash sequence, rate and intensity are adjustable by the system operator in real time using a system control unit which can be remotely controlled. The flash heads, connected in a tri-pack configuration, are strobed in a manner intended to alter the behavior of the fish. The system may include means to generate an air curtain near the flash heads to improve light dispersion and water jet means to clean the lenses on the flash heads.

Abstract: An anti-stress agent for animals for reducing the growth inhibition or mortality of animals and a method of reducing stress using a feed composition having blended therein the anti-stress agent. The anti-stress agent for animals comprises one or more substances selected from L-ascorbic acid-2-phosphoric acid, a salt thereof and an L-ascorbic acid-2-glucoside, as an active ingredient, for inhibiting the increase of blood plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AspAT) and for inhibiting the increase of stress proteins in blood, which occur when animals are placed under stress. Also disclosed is a feed composition comprising the anti-stress agent, and a method of reducing the stress of animals by supplying the same as feed.

Abstract: A computer interfaced device for rapidly quantifying levels of toxicity to small aquatic organisms in aqueous environments. The device has a plurality of test chambers containing replicates of a plurality of concentrations of a substance or sample being tested for toxicity. Each chamber also contains a predetermined number of motile aquatic organisms. Light originating on one side of each test chamber is received by a photo-detector on the opposite side. The device's sensitivity is adjusted so that each interruption of a light beam caused by movement of a test organism in each test chamber is recorded for that chamber. Using this device and a toxicity testing protocol both lethality and changes in the frequency of test organism's movement in each concentration of substance or sample is monitored. Toxicity is by convention quantified as the concentration of a substance or sample which causes a predetermined level of lethal or sublethal response usually after a plurality of days.

Abstract: A methodology for the asexual propagation of a plurality of species of substantially sedentary marine invertebrates which naturally attach to or hold fast to a support where propagation is achieved by employment of segmentation and transplantation which is accomplished by intentionally forced segmentation of a predeterminable portion of the invertebrate's tissue and where the segmented tissue is manipulated to become substantially attached to a suitable support by a temporary holding device thereby resulting in a condition where the primary invertebrate as well as the propagated invertebrate can survive independently of one another.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for establishing a sealed ecological system that is self-sustaining, remains in dynamic equilibrium over successive generations of organisms. The wastes generated by one set of organisms are consumed entirely by other organisms as nutrients. This nutrient-waste balance is achieved by limiting the amounts of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium present at the start-up of the system. Further stability and water clarity is achieved by the use of aquatic plants.

Abstract: A live aquatic food products preservation, presentation and customer self-serve storage system including a display case with one or more doors to provide customer access. There are a number of see-through containers for holding the individual food portions. The containers include a number of small openings for allowing air and water to pass therethrough to keep the food alive. The system includes a water charge and a pump for delivering the water to the display case. There is a manifold of one or more pipes in the case above the containers and interconnected to the pump. The pipe has openings for delivering pumped water to the containers. Further included is a system for collecting the sprayed water and delivering it to the pump. There is also a provision for cooling the water to extend the animal life.

Abstract: Anode and cathode electrodes are placed at the upstream and downstream ends of an elongated tank containing fish to be electroanesthetized by applying an electric signal to the electrodes to create an electric field within the tank sufficient to induce petit mal in the fish. By maintaining a flow of water in the tank from the end containing the anode electrode to this end containing the cathode electrode, the fish will tend to head toward the anode electrode and be subject to the largest voltage gradient induced by the electric field. A barrier at each of the anode and cathode electrodes prevents contact by the fish to protect the fish against injurious electrical shock.