Abstract: An aquaculture system which has a pen, a control system, a water pumping mechanism coupled to the pen, and a set of buoyancy tanks coupled to the pen. The pen can be disposed in a body of water and at least temporarily stores aquatic animals during development. The control system receives electric power from a power source and provides electric power to the water pumping mechanism to provides a flow of water through the pen. A portion of the control system is in fluid communication with the set of buoyancy tanks and adjusts a volume of fluid in at least one buoyancy tank to move the pen from a first position in which the pen is partially submerged in the body of water to a second position in which the pen is fully submerged in the body of water.

Abstract: The present invention solves the problem of flipping floating oyster cages by using a rotating system that lifts one side of the oyster cage while depressing the other side. The resulting rotation torque is able to invert the oyster cage to allow the cage and the oysters to temporarily dry out as a way of controlling marine biofouling. The invention may be mounted on a boat or between two boats and can sequentially flip the oyster cages along an anchored string.

Abstract: The present invention provides aquaculture assemblies for culturing oysters in deep waters and includes at least one structure adapted for culturing an aquacultural species; at least one floatation means; and at least one anchoring means connecting said floatation means to the sea bed; wherein said structure is connected to or comprises said floatation means or said floatation means comprises said structure; and wherein said assembly is adapted for supporting said at least one structure either: a) substantially above the water surface at low-tide, and at least substantially below the water surface at high-tide, or b) substantially just below the water surface at low-tide, and fully below the water surface at high-tide. Methods for culturing aquacultural species using assemblies according to the invention are also provided.

Abstract: An aquaculture net forming an open basket has a front wall, a left side wall, a right side wall, a back wall, and a bottom. The front wall, the left side wall, the right side wall, and the bottom all preferably have the form of a rectangle. At least part of the left side wall is foldable or has been folded over a diagonal of the at least part of the left side wall and at least part of the right side wall is foldable or has been folded over a diagonal of the at least part of the right side wall, in order to facilitate transport of the aquaculture net.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for the cultivation of marine species, particularly molluscan shellfish such as oysters. The shellfish are cultivated within a rotating cylinder featuring water-permeable walls, and positioned at the water surface by buoyant chambers such that a portion of the cylinder is immersed while the remainder is exposed to the atmosphere. The rotational position of the cylinder is advanced by way of a passive mechanical interaction driven by changes in local water elevations (e.g. tide cycles), thereby creating a repetitive and systematic exposure of the entirety of the cylinder wall to atmospheric desiccation. Furthermore, the rotation of the cylinder promotes a gentle tumbling of the shellfish within, thereby improving product shape and uniformity of growth, as well as enhancing the clearing of accumulating sediments and/or metabolic wastes.

Abstract: A float (1) comprising a hollow pneumatically pressurisable ovoid shell (5) is provided with a damping plate (12) extending laterally outwardly around the shell (5) for damping vertical upward and downward movement of the float in water during stormy conditions, thereby minimising the effect of the buoyant upward propulsion force acting on the float when the float is submerged in stormy conditions. A keel (18) extends downwardly from the float (5) for minimising rolling movement of the float (1). A pair of coupling plates (22) extending from front and rear ends (19,20) of the shell (5) facilitate coupling of the float (1) between a pair of spaced apart tethering ropes used in mussel growing. A plurality of the floats (1) may be secured between a pair of spaced apart tethering ropes at spaced apart intervals along the tethering ropes for supporting the tethering ropes so that crop ropes impregnated with mussel spawn may be suspended from the tethering ropes for growing mussels.

Abstract: Disclosed are an air inflating and deflating float for marine cultivation and a manufacturing method thereof. The air inflating and deflating float for marine cultivation includes a soft float body provided with a valve fixing part with an insertion hole, formed at the center thereof and connected to the inside of the float body, formed at one side of the float body; a valve inserted into the insertion hole of the valve fixing part, and provided with a through hole, through which air comes in and out, formed therein; and a protection cap inserted into the valve fixing part to prevent the air from being discharged via the through hole of the valve, and closing the through hole of the valve.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved submersible mollusc farm consisting of a self-supporting frame which is formed with an “H” plan floating structure comprising beams with support arms for the culture ropes. According to the invention, the structure moves vertically under the effect of tides or the weight of the culture product and is guided by means of surface floats which are equipped with a guide tube comprising slide stop elements between which the structure can slide.

Abstract: A support device for cultivating macro organisms in marine waters consisting of first and second coplanar rings connected to each other by a plurality of radial support lines and provided between them with a plurality of cultivating lines arranged in substantially coaxial rings and connected to the support lines. The outer one of the first and second rings is held in a predetermined orientation by ropes of crow's foot arrangements connected to it from above and below the rings. Each crow's foot arrangement is provided with a ring coaxial with respect to the first and second rings and connected to the other by a support rope. One of the crow's foot rings is connected to a buoyancy means and the other one is connected to an anchoring device so that forces acting on the buoyancy or anchoring means are restricted to the support rope.

Abstract: An improved submersible mollusc farm is disclosed. A line of cables bearing the culture ropes and the cylindrical buoys which maintain the line horizontal is suspended from end floats. The end floats include a filling/emptying system using water by way of ballast, in order to raise or submerge the line by inflating the end floats with air. Submerged tension buoys are connected to the end floats by tension cables and pulleys which are fixed to the dead weights provided at either end of the line. The vertical thrust of the tension buoys causes the pulley to stretch the cable and tauten the line.

Abstract: Fish-breeding apparatus (10), which comprises a frame, supporting one or a plurality of breeding cages (11) and provided with hollow buoyancy elements (17), and at least one device for controlling the buoyancy of the apparatus by filling, totally or partially, the buoyancy elements with water and emptying them of the water, totally or partially, whenever desired. The buoyancy elements are emptied of water by replacing the water with air. The buoyancy elements are such that when they are empty of water to a predetermined extent, the entire apparatus floats, even when it is fully charged. The frame has depending legs (17), so that even in its lowermost position the bottoms of the breeding cage will be spaced from the sea bed.

Abstract: A method of mitigating plankton from fish pens moves denser cleaning water from a selected depth into the pen and discharges it to flow horizontally across the pen, but with a downward component and at a sufficient velocity so that the cleaning water sweeps (carries) the plankton from the pen.

Abstract: A deep ocean, mid-water farming apparatus, for propagating bi-valves, kelp and sea weed comprising a plurality of air-containing tanks arranged in a frame and including a lower frame element and an upper frame element, a device for anchoring the tanks in deep water and including connectors to connect the anchor to the lower frame element for holding the device in deep water, a plurality of upwardly directed elongated tubular substrates, on which to grow the bi-valves, the substrates arranged about a vertically-oriented center strut, each substrate defined by a first, lower terminal end, for connection to the upper frame element, and a second, upper terminal end, spaced-apart from the first end and, a top hat centered about the strut for connecting to the upper ends of the tubular substrates for holding them in a fixed configuration thereabout.

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 family of man-made marine habitat systems and methods are disclosed for placement in various waterways to restore the natural marine environments that have been previously destroyed by commercial development as well as mitigate the damage caused by future development of coastal waters. The inventive marine habitat systems include individual habitat units having different configurations, more specifically, different sizes and arrangements of vertical and horizontal members, which are strategically placed in a restorative area in a body of water to serve as shelter for a variety of aquatic animals, including but not limited to, fish and a variety of bio-fouling organisms, including but not limited to oysters, mussels, and sea squirts. Novel anti-chafe devices and anchoring systems for use with the inventive marine habitat systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A modular apparatus for cultivating marine animals caged within rearing units submerged in a body of water of the natural environment of the animals includes a row and column structure that floats at the water surface. The apparatus is moored by anchors deployed at the column ends and at position intermediate the column ends. The members of the rows, and optionally the columns, are constructed from substantially rigid tubes, especially plastic, corrugated wall, culvert pipe, filled with a substantially incompressible foam. The row members are releasably attached between adjacent columns in perpendicular orientation to the longitudinal axes of the columns.Each rearing unit is a perforated wall container suspended from a row member by a suspension assembly so as to hang above the water floor. Multiple rearing units can be suspended from each row member. The rearing units contain vertically oriented panels of substrate material, especially sheets of cementitious backer unit.

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: An aquaculture container for raising shellfish is formed of a homogeneous, monolithic monocoque shell by forming one or more openings therein and installing screen, net, or mesh over the opening(s). The container may be formed of a plastic 55 gallon barrel or drum, or other shapes, sizes, and configurations of containers may be used alternatively. The container has at least one panel or end which is removably secured thereto, for access to the interior thereof. An insert may be removably installed within the container to provide additional internal surface area for shellfish, as well as support for nutrients added to the container. The internal surfaces of the container shell and insert preferably roughened in order to provide a better grip for the attachment of shellfish thereto, particularly for shellfish such as abalone which remain mobile throughout their lives.

Abstract: An oyster and other molluscan cleansing system suitable for purifying, or promoting the growout of, for example, oysters, clams, mussels, or the like. The preferred embodiment of the present invention teaches a system wherein there is provided a central platform/support structure from which uniformly emanates a plurality of stacked rack-support structures, that in turn have therein generally horizontally-situated, vertically-stacked tiers of molluscan support racks. The present invention as implemented teaches a system particularly suitable for use in open water, as the structure is configured to be implemented in a variety of underwater environments, including salt, brackish, and fresh water, as desired, depending upon the species utilized therewith.

Abstract: An oyster cultivating apparatus 10 is provided including a first cylindrically shaped elongated member 12 having an open area 14 extending therethrough and a first plurality of openings 16 formed thereabout. An upper member 20 is provided to cover an upper portion of the first elongated member 12 and a base member 24 is provided to cover a lowermost portion of the first elongated member. A second cylindrically shaped elongated member 38 having an open area 40 extending therethrough and having a second plurality of openings 44 formed thereabout, which are smaller than the first plurality of openings 16, is provided to be aligned in the first elongated member 12 so that the second plurality of openings 44 are in direct alignment with the first plurality of openings 16.

Abstract: A method for the cultchless cultivation of mollusks comprises placing the mollusks in an elongate bag of mesh material, which is preferably about 100 feet long. The bag has a longitudinal slit therein for providing access to the bag. The bag is suspended under tension in an underwater off-bottom location whereby the slit is maintained in a closed position by the tension. The invention also includes apparatus for raising the bag into an elevated position above the water for husbandry and harvesting purposes. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a raft provided with a pair of spiked rollers thereon for moving the bag along the top of the raft.

Abstract: Disclosed is an open ocean farm structure for attachment of macroalgal plants. The farm structure is made up of linear elements connected with nodes to form a three dimensional truss. The linear elements are composed of tubes containing solid rods which are screw connected to the nodes. The ends of the tubes abut the nodes so that screwing the rods into the nodes puts the tubes in compression. The truss structure thus formed is strong and flexible. Because the truss structure is made of tubes having minimal cross-sectional area, the structure is relatively transparent to the forces of wave motion.