GRANT
NUMBER:
NA56FD0071
NMFS NUMBER:
93-NWR-013
REPORT
TITLE: Offshore
Aquaculture Harvest and Transport Concept; Feasibility
and Development
AUTHOR:
Loverich,
Gary F.; Swanson, Kurt and Gace, Langley; Ocean Spar Technologies,
LLC
PUBLISH
DATE:
December 31, 1996
AVAILABLE
FROM:
National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Regional
Office, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
PHONE: (206) 526-6115
ABSTRACT

To reduce the
operating costs of sea farming offshore, a means to quickly
and efficiently crowd fish in a sea cage for harvest or
transport was investigated. Additionally, transporting
these same fish over longer distances of exposed water
without undo stress, risk or operational hazard was investigated.
A new sea cage design called Sea Station (TM), satisfied
these requirements. By simply inverting the taut net,
fish were crowded to an opening in the side of the cage
and exited into a harvest pen. The Sea Station can safely
be towed at a speed of 51 cm./sec. without changing shape
or volume enclosed. Fish behavior was observed and recorded
for all operations and fish stress levels during the harvest
appeared to be very low.