Over a period of four years, GAATEM Consulting and Beck-Systems have developed and tested a mobile, submergible, cylindrical fish cage, called the BECK-Fish Cage.
The cage swims pivot-like on a mooring rope of up to 500m length in the 200 mile zone of a country, or can hang on a moored fishery vessel with breeding and on-growing facilities such as a Marine Aquaculture Centre (MAC).
The companies claim that when using the tank, water pollutions and diseases do not occur and sudden water pollutions (such as oil, seaweed) will be passed.
The mobile unit can be moved to any waters and during stormy weather the cage submerges 7m below the wave trough. The fish cage is protected and the fish are not stressed by wave turbulence.
The fish cage has been tested by 20m models and by advanced computer programmes in stormy Atlantic Ocean waters.
The force of the 2,000t cage can resist waves up to 26m. Consequently, the cage is suitable for all oceans in warm, temperate and cold waters.
The company’s liquid-feeding system assures a portion feeding for each of the 10 sections, even in the submerged cage-position. The revolving of the cage permits self-cleaning of the nets in the dry air and the collection of dead fish, as well as the easy harvesting by fish vacuum pumps.
According to the companies, the suitability of the BECK-Fish Cage in all oceans and waters assures the production of swarm-fish and other ocean animals. Any domesticated fish can be grown in any waters with the BECK- Fish Cage.
MAC
The companies say that any large scale marine aquaculture project must have a centre for research, breeding, ongrowing and outgrowing to assure the permanent availability of healthy juveniles of the selected fish species. Land-based centres create a lot of problems and pollution. Therefore, a mobile, offshore MAC was developed, which consists of a second hand ocean going vessel of 60-100m length, with facilities for staff, research, breeding, on-growing, stores and equipment for feeding and serving the attached BECK-Fish Cage.
This MAC is mobile and can be moored in any waters. Fish breeding and on-growing take place in the centrifugal self-cleaning re-circulating ponds installed on the vessel and the fish lives permanently in clean water, eliminating diseases.
A service boat is not needed and the MAC is claimed to save a lot of running expenses.
After the MAC is successful, GAATEM Consulting and Beck-Systems say that more BECK-Fish Cages will be located in a 200 mile zone and moored on a rope of up to 500m and served from a Marine Aquaculture Service Station (MASS), which is a feeding barge or a second hand trawler.
The companies say that these possibilities assure a sustainable marine ecology and a high socio-economy with all domesticated swarm fish.
