GB2361400A

GB2361400A - Method and device for displacement of live fish

Info

Publication number: GB2361400A
Application number: GB0105171A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arne Eidesvik
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-03-06
Filing date: 2001-03-02
Publication date: 2001-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-02
Also published as: NO310131B1; IS2183B; CA2336237C; GB2361400B; CA2336237A1; NO20001124D0; DK176313B1; NO20001124A; DK200100342A; GB0105171D0; IS5871A

Abstract

A fish storage unit 10 is completely or partially filled with water 12 and is equipped with a first horizontally movable water penetrable displacement means 14 and a second water penetrable displacement means 30. The displacement means may comprise a frame supporting a mesh grid. The first displacement means may be moved via a winch and cable and the second via a hydraulic ram. Water inlet 20 and outlets 18 may be used to regulate the water level in the tank and to provide a water over-pressure if required. A fish outlet 16 is provided, fitted with detachable cone 33. In use, cone 33 is fitted to the outlet and displacement means 14 is moved towards the outlet. The majority of the fish will thus be herded out through the outlet. The cone is then removed and the second displacement means 30 moved transversely to the first, herding the remaining fish out though the outlet.

Description

2361400 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISPLACEMENT OF LIVE FISH.- The present

invention relates to a method and a device for displacement of live fish, or other organisms which live in water, from a fix'st storage unit which is completely, or partially full of water, such as a storage tank on 'board a boat or a ship, to an adjacent second storage unit, in which the fish'are displaced in the horizontal direction of the storage unit by moving a first water penetrable displacement means, from the unit's first end, or from a arbitrary position 'in the unit, towards its second opposite end.

Today it is common to freight live fish from a fish f arm with the aid of a ship or a large boat. These ships are equipped with one or more tanks or wells, which are completely, or partially, filled with seawater. The fish are kept in these tanks or wells during transport f rom the f ish farms to the slaughtering plant.

On arrival at the slaughtering plant, the unloading of the fish is normally carried out by the fish being unloaded in a seine which is fitted to a lifting device and which lifts the fish out from the storage room, This seine is usually made of a f ine mesh material or it is watertight. The fish can also be unloaded by letting most of the water out of the tank and thereafter one or more scoop nets are used for unloading the fish. In some cases, it is also common to pump the fish out from the tank with the aid of a suction pump, which is connected to a vacuum tank.

In all the cases that are mentioned above, the fish are subjected to very rough treatment, which leads to the fish becoming disturbed and distressed. This can result in the quality of the meat of the slaughtered fish deteriorate compared to fish which can be moved in a natural way from the tank to the slaugbtering plant or a storage unit befoze they are slaughtered.

2 There is also a danger that the fish may be damaged when a suction pump is being used. To -,obtain suf f icient suction in the suction unit, so that the f ish can be sucked out of the tank, a vacuum tank is used. Because of this, the fish are subjected to large external stresses and as a result the fish will ilso, in some cases, be damaged to the extent that they die.

There is, therefore, a need for a new method for moving f ish from the storage tank on board the boat to the slaughtering plant, or to a storage site prior to being slaughtered, which does not damage and/or distress the fish. There is also a need for a device to carry out the method.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a iS method and a device for moving, or displacement of, fish from a first storage unitf such as a storage tank or a well on board a ship or on board a boat, to an adjacent second storage unit without the abovementioned disadvantages. This means that the fish are neither damaged nor distressed, the fish swim by themselves, no vacuum or other suction device is used, and a scooping net is not used either to unload the f ish.

In the method, according to the invention, fish -are displaced in the horizontal direction of the unit, by moving a f irst water penetrable displacement means, Irom the unit's first end, towards and to a stop position at its second opposite side, where an outlet is arranged at the second end of the storage unit, through which the fish swim to the second storage unit, and where the remaining fish are'displaced, when the first water penetrable displacement means reaches its stop position adjacent to a second water penetrable displacement means, in that the second displacement means is moved from a lower to an upper position.

In preferred embodiments of the method, according to the invention, are lower parts of the outlet removed before the second water penetrable displacement means is moved from its lower position. Pumps can provide an 3 overpressure in the first storage unit to ease the displacement of the fish to the.adjacent second'storage unit. There can also be provided a vextical channel in the storage'unit when the first displacement means is in its 5 stop position.

The device, according to the invention, is characterised in that the storage unit comprises an outlet in and/or at the second end of the storage unit, and a second water penetrable displacement meanst which is arranged adjacent to the second end of the storage unit, in which the water penetrable displacement means is adapted to be moved vertically in a channel which is provided at the second end of the storage unit by a first displacement means and a number of the inner walls of the unit.

Preferred embodiments of the device are characterised in that the first water penetrable displacement means is moved horizontally from, or at, one end of the storage unit and towards and to a stop position at its opposite second end, and that the second water penetrable displacement means is moved vertically from a lower position to an upper position. The first water penetrable displacement means can include means through which water can f low, such as a grating or a grid, f ixed to a f rame construction, and where the outer sides of the displacement means are arranged to lie against, or abut, the inner sides of the storage unit, and the second water penetrable displacement means can also include5 means through which water can f low, such as a grating or a grid, and where the outer sides of the displacement means is enclosed by three of the inner sides of the storage unit and the f irst water penetrable displacement means, when thi3 is in its stop position at the unit' s second end, to provide a vertical channel. An outlet, comprising a number of mutually adapted funnel-formed and/or pipe-formed means, can be arranged at the upper part of the storage unit's second end, where the outlet can include a lower inlet funnel, an intermediate pipe-formed piece and an 4 outlet funnel. The water penetrable displacement means can be moved in the horizontal and vertical direction of the storage unit, respectively, with the aid of displacement means, such as a wire and winch arrangement and/or a- hydraulic /pneumatic piston system, which are driven by an electric or hydraulic motor, The invention shall now be explained further by referring to the enclosed figures, in which:

Figure I shows a boat or a ship containing a storage tank with live fish, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the first water penetrable displacement means in its second position, and the second water penetrable displacement means in a position between a lower and an upper position, according to the present invention. Figures 3 and 4 show crosswise cross-sections of examples Of Positioning and application of the outlet, according to the invention. 20 Figure 5 'Shows a cross-section of the boat, indicating the position in a tank of the first water penetrable displacement means. Figures 6 and 7 show a number of tanks viewed f rom above, without and with a top deck, respectively. 25 Figure I shows a boat 10 or a ship comprising a 3torage tank 12 with live fish, where there is arranged in the storage unit 12, such as a tank or a well, a first water penetrable displacement means 14, in a first position, and an outlet 16, according to an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Adjacent to the storage unit 12, hereafter called a tank, there is also arranged inlet means 18 and outlet means 20 for water, which are used to regulate the water content of the tank 12. These means 18, 20 are also used to provide an overpressure in the tank to ease the passage, i.e. the displacement, of the fish through the outlet 16. The position of the means 18, 20 is not restricted to that shown in the f igure, but can be placed wherever it is practically possible.

As mentioned, arranged in the tank 12 there is a first water penetrable displacement means 14. This S displacement means includes a frame construction 22 which is placed in the tank 12 such 'that its outer sides lie adjacent with, or abut, the inner walls or sides, but with a gap which makes it possible to move the whole frame construction 22 in the horizontal direction of the tank 12. The gap is sufficiently small so that the fish cannot pass between the frame construction 22 and the inner walls of the tank 12, To move the frame construction 22 horizontally in the tank 12, other displacement means 24, such as rollers or wheels, 'are arranged at suitable locations in or on the construction 22. The displacement means 24 are led or rolled on rails, or adapted plates, which are fitted to the inner walls or sides of the tank.

In an example of an embodiment there is, in addition, a wire and winch arrangement fitted (not shown) adjacent to the tank 12, which is used to move the f rame construction 22 horizontally in the tank 12. This wire and winch arrangement can, for example, include an electric or hydraulic winch connected to a steel wire, preferably a stainless steel wire. During operation of the winch, the water penetrable displacement means 14 is moved horizontally in the tank 12 by the steel wire pulling the water penetrable displacement means 14 in the desired direction, while the frame construction slides or rolls on the rails' or in or on the adapted plates, whilst simultaneously being supported by the mentioned rails or plates.

Together with the frame construction, a locking system 26 is also provided, which can lock the moveable 33 construction in a desired position. The volume in which the fish is kept can thereby be regulated in accordance with the amount of fish which are to be transported, i.e. the starting position of the first water penetrable 6 displacement means when the tank is to be emptied of fish must not necessarily be at the one end of the tank, but may basically be anywhere in the tank'.

Fixed to the frame construction 14 are water penetrable 28 means through which water can flow, such as a grating or a grid or a similar implement, which lets water through. The opening in the grating must, of course, not be so large that it will le ' t the fish through.

At the second end of the storage unit 12, a water penetrable displacement means 30 is arranged which comprises corresponding water penetrable means 28 through which water can flow, which can also be fixed to a frame construction if necessary. The water penetrable displacement means 30 is moved in the vertical direction of the storage unit 12 with the aid of the wire and winch arrangement, as described earlier. The second water penetrable displacement means 30 can also be moved with the aid of other devices, such as, for example, a hydraulic/pneumatic piston system. If the tank is not too large, the first water penetrable displacement means 14 can also be moved with the aid of a hydraulic /pneumatic system.

As mentioned previously, adjacent to the storage unit 12 is also arranged inlet means 18 and outlet means 20 for water, these are in turn connected to circulation pumps which circulate the water in the unit 12, either as a closed system or as an open system to sea. The pump, or the pumps, (not shown) will provide an overpressure in the storage unit, something which thereby eases the moving of the fish from the first storage unit to the adjacent second storage unit.

The first storage unit 12 is normally a tank on board a ship or a boat, and the adjacent second storage unit is normally a tank in or at the slaughtering plant, or it can, for example, be a feeding tank. Within the scope of this invention, the first storage unit can, for example, also comprise of a tank which is not on board a ship or a 7 boat, but which is placed on land adjacent to another tank.

Figure I shows as an example that the whole storage unit 12 is filled with fish. When the tank is to be emptied, the water penetrable displacement means 14 is normally arranged at the one efid of the tank, but if there is little fish, the displacement means can, for example, be arranged closer to the tank's second end.

Before the fish are moved out of the tank, outlet io means are arranged at the second end of the tank. These outlet nieans preferably include a lower inlet funnel 33, and possibly an intermediate piece of pipe 32 and an outlet funnel 34 which in turn can be connected to an external pipe or a tubing. The intermediate piece of pipe 32 is used if there are, for example, two or more storage tanks on board the ship, and the fish are to be moved from one tank on the port side of the ship to a storage unit adjacent to the starboard side of the ship. As shown in figure 4, the piece of pipe 32 is placed in adapted openings betw6en, or over, the adjacent tanks on board the boat, and is connected to the outlet funnel 34.

The fish are thereafter moved in the horizontal direction of the tank by moving the first water penetrable displacement means 14, from the tank's first end towards its second opposite end to a stop position adjacent to the second water penetrable displacement means 30. As the fish are moved towards the second end of the storage unit, where there is, as mentioned, arranged outlet means, and because the pump, or pumps, are providing an overpressure in the tank, the fish will swim through the outlet means and to the second storage unit.

When the first water penetrable displacement means 14 stops in its stop position at the tank's second end, the lower inlet funnel 33 is removed, i.e. the lower part of the outlet means is removed before the econd water penetrable displacement means 30 is moved from its lower position. Alternatively, if the lower inlet funnel cannot 8 be used, the fish will then be moved-directly to the adjacent second storage unit through the outlet funnel 34.

To move the remaining fish, when'the first water penetrable displacement means 14 has reached its stop position adjacent to the second water penetrable displacement means, the second displacement means is moved in the tank's vertical direction from a lower to an upper position. The sides of the tank and the first displacement means provide a vertical channel in which the fish now can swim and the fish will thereby swim out through the outlet funnel 34, as shown in figure 3.

This displacement means can be used for unloading one or more storage rooms simultaneously, and it can also deliver a minimum bf two types of fish according to how many storage rooms there are on board the boat or the ship., To aid monitoring of the unloading of the fish, and also to monitor the condition of the fish during transport, video cameras and lights 36 can, for example, be fitted in the storage tank, as shown in figure 6.

In addition, means can be arranged to regulate the supply of oxygen in the tank, and also means to regulate the temperature in the tank. These can be in connection with the mentioned pump system, or be independent separate systems.

Figure 7 also shows inspection hatches 38 and storage room hatches 40 seen from above the tank, in which the hatches 40 can be used for loading and possibly also for unloading of the fish, in situations where it is not possible, or desirable, to use the device and method according to the invention.

According to the invention, there is thus provided a new method and device for displacement of live fish from a first storage unit, in which the fish are moved by the aid of water penetrable displacement means and swim through an outlet to a second external storage unit.

9

Claims

Claims

I Method for displacement of live fish, or other organisms which live in water, from a first storage unit (12) which is completely, or partiallyf filled with water, such as a storage tank on board a boat or a ship, to an adjacent second storage unit, in which the fish are displaced in the horizontal direction of the storage unit (12) by moving a first water penetrable displacement means (14), from the unit's (12) first end, or from a arbitrary position in the unit (12), towards its second opposite end, characterised in that the fish are being displaced to the second storage unit through an outlet (16) at the second end of the storage unit (12), and is that remaining fish in the unit (12) are being displaced through the outlet (16), when the first water penetrable displacement means (14) reaches a stop position adjacent to a second water penetrable displacement means (30), which is arranged at the unit's (12) second end, in that the second penetrable displacement means (30) is being moved vertically from a lower position, towards and up to, an upper position.
2. Method in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that pumps are being used to provide an overpressure in the first storage unit (12), to ease the moving /displacement of the fish through the outlet (16) and to the adjacent second storage unit.
3. Meth6d in accordance with claims 1-2, characterised in that when the first water penetrable displacement means (14) reaches its stop position adjacent to the second water penetrable displacement means (30), a lower funnelformed part (33) of the outlet (16) is removed and fish are being displaced in a vertical channel which is provided by the displacement means (14) of the storage unit (12) and a number of inner walls of the unit (12), and out through the outlet (16) by the vertical displacement of the second water penetrable displacement means (30).

A
4. Device for displacement of live fish, or other organisms which live in water, from a first storage unit (12), which is completely, or partially, filled with water, such as a storage tank on board a boat or a ship, to an adjacent second storage u ' nit, iTI which the first storage unit (12) comprises a first water penetrable io displacement means, (14), which is adapted to be moved in the horizontal direction of the unit, (12), characterised in that the storage unit (12) comprises an outlet (16) in and/or at a second end of the storage unit (12), and a second water penetrable displacement means (30), which is arranged adjacent to the second end of the storage unit (12), in which the water penetrable displacement means (30) is adapted to be moved vertically in a channel which is provided at the second.end of the storage unit (12) by the first displacement means (14) and a number of the inner walls of the unit (12).
5. Device in accordance with claim 4f characterised in that the first water penetrable displacement means (14) is adapted to be displaced horizontally in the storage unit (12) towards and to a stop position at the opposite second end of the unit, adjacent to the second water penetrable displacement means (30), and that the second displacement means (30), which is arranged at the second end of the storage unit (12) r is adapted to be displaced vertically from a lower position to an upper position adjacent to the outlet (16).
6. Device in accordance with claim 5, characterised in that the first displacement means (14) comprises water penetrable means (28), such as a grating or a grid fitted to a frame construction (22), and in which the outer sides of the displacement means (14) is adapted to lie against, or abut, the adjacent inner walls of the storage unit (12).
7. Device in accordance with Claim 5, characterised in that the second water penetrable displacement means (30) comprise water penetrable means (28), such as a grating or a grid, and in which the outer sides of the displacement means (30) are adapted to be surrounded by a number of the adjacent inner sides of the storage unit and the first water penetrable displacement means (14), when this is in its stop position adjacent to the second displacement means (30).
8. Device in accordance with Claim 5, characterised in that the outlet (16) comprises of a number of mutually adapted funnel-formed and/or pipe-formed pieces, and which are arranged at the upper part of the second end of the storage unit (12).
9. Device in accordance with Claim 8, characterised in that the outlet (16) comprises a lower inlet funnel (33), an intermediate piece of pipe (32) and an outlet funnel (34).
10. Device in accordance with Claims 5-7, characterised in that the water penetrable displacement means (14, 30), are displaced in the horizontal and vertical directions of the storage unit, respectively, with the aid of displacement means, such as a wire and winch arrangement or a hydraulic/pneumatic piston system, or a combination, which is driven by an electric and/or hydraulic motor.
11. A device for displacement of live fish substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.