Abstract: A method for incubating an aquatic species includes introducing fertilized eggs of the aquatic species into a screened incubation container, introducing the screened incubation container into a vessel of an incubation module, circulating clean oxygenated water through the incubation module vessel, transferring successfully fertilized eggs from the incubation module vessel to an upweller of a hatching module, circulating clean oxygenated water through the upweller, transferring larvae that swim out of the upweller into a tray of a larvae holding module, circulating clean oxygenated water through the larvae holding module, transferring larvae that grow into a juvenile growth stage from the larvae holding module to a tray of a juvenile holding module, circulating clean oxygenated water through the juvenile holding module, and releasing juveniles from the juvenile holding module after a predefined growth period or after the juveniles grow to a predetermined size.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for obtaining dewatered biomass from algae and/or microorganisms. The concentrated biomass available as a result of the harvesting process is spread over an endless conveyor belt (1) and exposed to heated air on the conveyor belt (1). The air is heated by the sun and/or an air heater (5) in a closed system, the conveyor belt (1) being enclosed by a light-permeable casing (2). The drying process is carried out until a residual moisture is achieved, the dewatered biomass adhering to the conveyor belt (1) at the end of the drying process. Said biomass is separated from the conveyor belt (1) by means of a doctor- or scraper edge (9) and is gathered in a collection container (8).

Abstract: An elongate rectangular cultivation box having an open top, is configured so as to allow an outer tank, which serves as a cultivating water storage part, and an inner tank, which serves as a receptacle for bivalves (benthic organisms) S that are to be cultivated, to be both combined and separated. A gap that serves as a water supply opening and a gap that serves as a space in which sediments can accumulate on the bottom of the outer tank are defined when the inner tank is accommodated in the outer tank. Water passage holes are provided in the bottom of the shellfish receptacle (inner tank) and a mesh filter such as netting is stretched across the top face of the bottom. The cultivation boxes are arranged in a vertically stacked manner, with the front portions and rear portions thereof staggered so that cultivation water W that overflows over a front ledge of a shellfish receptacle flows downward into the supply water storage part of a lower cultivation box.

Abstract: An elongate rectangular cultivation box having an open top, is configured so as to allow an outer tank, which serves as a cultivating water storage part, and an inner tank, which serves as a receptacle for bivalves (benthic organisms) S that are to be cultivated, to be both combined and separated. A gap that serves as a water supply opening and a gap that serves as a space in which sediments can accumulate on the bottom of the outer tank are defined when the inner tank is accommodated in the outer tank. Water passage holes are provided in the bottom of the shellfish receptacle (inner tank) and a mesh filter such as netting is stretched across the top face of the bottom. The cultivation boxes are arranged in a vertically stacked manner, with the front portions and rear portions thereof staggered so that cultivation water W that overflows over a front ledge of a shellfish receptacle flows downward into the supply water storage part of a lower cultivation box.

Abstract: A method for establishing a clam bed includes raising clam larvae in a captive environment in which they are provided with adequate food and habitat requirements, and kept isolated from predation by natural predators. The clam larvae are maintained in this environment during the first larval stage, referred to as the trochophore stage of development, when the larvae are particularly vulnerable to mortality. During the next stage of development, the developing larval clams are released, preferably in large numbers (saturation spawning) at any time during the veliger stage of development, i.e., the generic stage following the trochophore larval stage, and which includes the sub-stages of straight-hinge veliger, umbonate veliger, and pediveliger. Preferably, the entire process prior to release in accordance with the invention is carried out in a closed system, to significantly reduce possible exposure to contaminants and/or harmful predator larvae/parasites, in addition to larger animal predators.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method in the field of shellfish breeding techniques, for breeding a scallop population that have improved carotenoid content in the orange-red adductor muscles or other muscle tissues. This method includes the steps of selecting the rare individuals that have orange-red adductor muscles from natural scallop populations, growing the selected scallops, inducing the reproduction, artificially fertilization, and finally breeding a scallop population with orange-red adductor muscles which can be expanded for the cultivation on a large scale. Comparing to other known breeding methods, the present method does not use transgenic technologies to include introduce any exogenous genes, thus does not have any bio-safety and ethics issues. All the mutant scallops with orange-red adductor muscles are selected from natural or cultivated populations. After breeding for four generations, the obtained scallops have abundant carotenoid ingredients in their orange-red adductor muscles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing viable tetraploid bivalve mollusks, by fertilisation of diploid female ovocytes with diploid male sperm, followed by the induction of the retention of the first polar body of the fertilised eggs, isolation from the obtained larvae of a larval sub-population enriched in tetraploids and selective raising of said sub-population.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method in the field of shellfish breeding techniques, for breeding a scallop population that have improved carotenoid content in the orange-red adductor muscles or other muscle tissues. This method includes the steps of selecting the rare individuals that have orange-red adductor muscles from natural scallop populations, growing the selected scallops, inducing the reproduction, artificially fertilization, and finally breeding a scallop population with orange-red adductor muscles which can be expanded for the cultivation on a large scale. Comparing to other known breeding methods, the present method does not use transgenic technologies to include introduce any exogenous genes, thus does not have any bio-safety and ethics issues. All the mutant scallops with orange-red adductor muscles are selected from natural or cultivated populations. After breeding for four generations, the obtained scallops have abundant carotenoid ingredients in their orange-red adductor muscles.

Abstract: The collector habitat device comprises panels of non-biodegradable and/or synthetic fibrous material set in durable weatherproof frames and attached to a base; when placed in, the panels hang within the water column providing numerous parallel settlement surfaces for post-larvae. A float assembly, optionally attached to the opposite side of the base from the panels, allows the device to float just below the water's surface. The collector habitat device also incorporates a guard, surrounding the panels, with apertures to allow settlement-stage post-larvae access to the settlement surfaces, while preventing larger organisms and potential predators from gaining access. The collector habitat device also, optionally, incorporates an optionally removable/re-attachable reservoir hung below the guard; and an optional olfactory attractant delivery device.

Abstract: An apparatus for the cultivation of shellfish, the apparatus including a base with a culture surface and a support attachment for the base, the apparatus characterised in that the support attachment is configured to permit rotational movement of the base relative to a support when the base is secured to the support.

Abstract: A process for polycross breeding a Manila clam pedigree, includes: providing present Manila clam pedigrees of different shell color types as parents; ecologically maturing the parents; reciprocally hybridizing the parents by every two of different shell color types to obtain offsprings thereof; nurturing the offsprings until gonads thereof mature synchronously; and hybridizing the matured offsprings with each other to obtain at least a four-way cross pedigree accumulating all valuable genes of the parents.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing viable tetraploid bivalve mollusks, by fertilisation of diploid female ovocytes with diploid male sperm, followed by the induction of the retention of the first polar body of the fertilised eggs, isolation from the obtained larvae of a larval sub-population enriched in tetraploids and selective raising of said sub-population.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for breeding of a variety of Pacific abalone with orange shell. A new strain with uniform shell color of Pacific abalone is established by single mating or mass mating. The detailed procedures are as follows. The mature individuals with orange shell color are selected as breeders, and conditioned in the seawater. Macroalgae are fed and gentle aeration is provided daily. The gonad of breeders will eventually reach full ripeness; Artificial induction to spawn is conducted by combined desiccation, thermal shock and exposure to UV-irradiated seawater; The released gametes were fertilized by single mating or mass mating; A routine procedure is used for fertilized eggs incubation, larval and spat rearing. A new Pacific abalone strain of uniformly orange shell color is produced. In the invention, the new strain is produced by shell color mutant type abalone from natural populations or artificially cultivated stocks. No foreign genes are introduced.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for using a spawning agent and a steroid to stimulate gonadal development, oocyte maturation, and meiotic synchrony in oysters and other bivalves. Advantages of the novel technique include a decrease in the variability of fertilization among different individuals, a decrease in the variability of larval production by synchronizing gamete maturation within a population, the ability to mature and spawn broodstock without sacrificing the animals, to conserve and maintain genetic lines, and the ability to improve cross-breeding programs, with or without the use of transgenics, by repeated spawning of individuals. The method may be used, for example, in oyster hatchery production, with an emphasis on conservation of broodstock. The invention allows the successful and repeatable breeding of either diploids or polyploids, selective breeding, and the breeding of transgenic oyster lines, all without the need to sacrifice the founder animals.

Abstract: Mussels are commonly grown on ropes which have been seeded with immature molluscs. Past techniques for farming mussels have suffered from low product yields because of the low surface area of a mussel rope, and mussel detachment from the rope. Existing devices for solving these problems are cumbersome and difficult to use. The present invention solves the problems by providing a mussel farming device including a planar body with a slot in one side thereof for receiving a rope or mesh bag, an aperture at the center of the body, and a clip in the aperture for attaching the body to the rope or bag. A plurality of such devices are attached to a rope or bag at intervals along its length, thereby providing a large surface area for mussel attachment and creating stable platforms on which the mussels can mature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method rearing abalone. The apparatus comprises a water channel defining by lateral sides, the top edge of the individual longer lateral side being mounted with a reinforcing board; a plurality of partitioning boards having a plurality of holes thereon, and the top end of the board being extended with two clipping boards, a gap formed in between the two clipping boards and providing engagement with the reinforcing boards, the top of the upper clipping plate being provided with at least one hole for the mounting of a pin so as to fasten the partitioning board onto the reinforcing board and forming into a plurality of rearing troughs; and a water channel liner being mounted at the front end of the water channel. Further, a semi-automatic feeding machine may be used for replacing manual labor to feed the abalone.

Abstract: An aquaculture system for allowing live seafood such as clam seeds to grow on a floatation raft which can be positioned in water dock spaces of a marina. A first embodiment allows for an air source such as a regenerative blower to pump air into airlifts under the floatation raft causing seawater to become aerated to flow into and up through screens in container units in the raft allowing for the live seafood on the screens to become both aerated and fed. A second embodiment is a downwell unit where the aerated water flows down the container units through the screens. The upwell air lifts can be modified with spray arm attachments to convert the system from upwell to downwell flow operations. The airlifts can have forty-five degree angled cut bottoms, and include extension tubes for allowing deeper seawater to be introduced into the system. Removable filters can be attached to the airlifts to filter out undesirable contaminants from the system.

Abstract: A shellfish aquaculture upweller system utilizes one or more upwellers having a volume-defining silo, a selectively removable exhaust port and a selectively removable and liquid permeable assembly. The silo includes a top end, an apertured bottom end and an apertured side wall. The exhaust port can be affixed to the silo and, when affixed thereto, provides controlled fluid communication between the liquid ambient environment and the volume defined by the silo. The liquid permeable assembly covers the bottom aperture when the assembly is mounted to the silo to permit liquid to pass therethrough while retaining the shellfish seed in the silo volume when the upweller is in use. The assemblies can be interchanged as desired and a plurality of the upwellers can be stored and transported in a compact manner due to the shape of the upweller silos.

Abstract: Provided by this invention are novel tetraploid mollusks, including oysters, scallops, clams, mussels and abalone. Also, provided are a method for producing the tetraploid mollusks and a method for producing triploid mollusks by mating the novel tetraploid mollusks with diploid mollusks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the discovery of a new bacteria of the genus Alteromonas which has been found to attract oyster larvae by the production of compounds involved in melanin synthesis. More specifically, the present invention contemplates a method for inducing the settlement and metamorphosis of Crassostrea virginica larvae by induction with certain metabolic substances produced by the present bacteria and its altered variants. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to other and derivative metabolic products which can be employed for their desired utility and application. In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that ammonia (NH.sub.3) initiates settlement and metamorphosis of the oyster larvae in the same manner as the natural phenomena.

Abstract: A method for forming an oyster reef, includes setting seed oysters on cultch material, placing the cultch material containing the seed oysters in water permeable panels to form a vertical permeable wall of cultch material through which water may flow, and placing the panels in water having favorable conditions for oyster growth. The apparatus includes water permeable panels for holding cultch material in a vertical permeable wall to expose the entire column or wall of cultch to water having favorable conditions for oyster growth, and blocks formed from the panels.