US3765372A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and apparatus for mariculture production
Assignee: OCEANOGRAPHY MARICULTURE IND
•
Filing: 1971-11-29
•
Granted: 1973-10-16
•
Expires: 1991-11-29
Abstract
Abstract A mariculture process for raising salt water fishes, such as pompano, whereby a brood stock is isolated in an artifically controlled environment, the temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity are adjusted so that sexual maturity of the brood stock is rapidly attained, spawning of the brood stock and egg fertilization is artificially induced by hormone extract, the fertilized eggs are removed from the brood stock and subjected to conditions suitable for hatching, and the larvae produced from the eggs are held in a controlled environment in order to develop them to a viable size. In a second embodiment, prior to the induced spawning procedure, the conditions of temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity are adjusted so that sexual development of the brood stock is suppressed until spawning is desired and thereafter the conditions of temperature and light exposure and intensity are readjusted so that sexual maturity of the brood stock is rapidly attained.
Inventors
- 👤 M Moe
- 👤 J Dunathan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:45
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K67/00; A01K67/02; A01K61/00; A01K61/10; A01K61/17; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/80; Y02A40/81
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A mariculture process for raising estuarine fishes which comprises: isolating a brood stock of sexually inactive fish from the natural environment by placing the stock into a water media suitable for sustaining life in a healthy condition whereby water quality, temperature and degree of light exposure and light intensity can be each selectively controlled, adjusting the temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity so that sexual maturity of the brood stock is rapidly attained, inducing spawning of the brood stock and egg fertilization by treating the stock with a suitable hormone extract, removing the fertilized eggs from the brood stock and subjecting said eggs to conditions suitable for hatching, permitting the fertilized eggs to hatch and maintaining the larvae in a controlled environment media for a period sufficient to permit the larvae to develop to a viable size.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A mariculture process for raising estuarine fishes which comprises: isolating a brood stock of sexually inactive fish from the natural environment by placing the stock into a water media suitable for sustaining life in a healthy condition whereby water quality, temperature and degree of light exposure and light intensity can be each selectively controlled, adjusting the temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity so that sexual maturity of the brood stock is rapidly attained, inducing spawning of the brood stock and egg fertilization by treating the stock with a suitable hormone extract, removing the fertilized eggs from the brood stock and subjecting said eggs to conditions suitable for hatching, permitting the fertilized eggs to hatch and maintaining the larvae in a controlled environment media for a period sufficient to permit the larvae to develop to a viable size.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The process of claim 1, wherein prior to the induced spawning procedure, the conditions of temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity are adjusted so that sexual development of the brood stock is suppressed until spawning is desired and thereafter the conditions of temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity are readjusted so that sexual maturity of the brood stock is rapidly attained.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 2, wherein the fish density of the brood stock is relatively higher during the period in which sexual maturity is being suppressed than during the period in which sexual maturity is being stimulated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the brood stock is isolated by being placed in a tank having a particulate and biological filtration system and a recirculation system suitable for maintaining the quality of the water sufficient for maintaining the brood stock in a healthy condition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1, wherein fertilization is forced by extracting the eggs and sperm in a separate container, separating the live fertilized eggs from the dead eggs, and introducing the fertilized eggs to incubation conditions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
The process of claim 1, wherein when hatching of the eggs appears to be imminent, the eggs are transferred to a static water larvae rearing container in which water quality is maintained by the presence of a continual growth of algae in the water medium, and wherein the eggs are permitted to hatch and the larvae are permitted to develop to a viable size.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The process of claim 1, wherein when hatching of the eggs appears to be imminent, the eggs are transferred to a tank having a recirculating water system in which water quality is maintained by recirculating the water through a biological and particulate filter system, and wherein the water currents of filtered water reentering the tank are directed away from the tank walls to avoid injury to the larvae.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process of claim 1 wherein after the larvae have been developed to a viable size, the conditions of temperature and degree of light exposure and light intensity are adjusted so as to rapidly provide a stock of marketable size.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1, wherein each period of light exposure is preceded and succeeded by a period of gradually increasing and decreasing light intensity, respectively, to avoid shock or panic to the brood stock.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the fish being raised is pompano.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
The process of claim 10, wherein prior to the induced spawning procedure, the conditions of temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity are adjusted so that sexual development of the brood stock is suppressed until spawning is desired and thereafter the conditions of temperature and degree of light exposure and intensity are readjusted so that sexual maturity in the brood stock is rapidly attained.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
89 words
The process of claim 10, wherein after the eggs are fertilized, the live fertilized eggs are separated from the dead eggs by placing the eggs into a container having a water environment which closely simulates natural conditions of salinity, purity and temperature so that the natural buoyancy of the live eggs will cause the eggs to float to the top of said container, while the dead eggs will settle to the bottom of said container, and thereafter draining the lower portion of said container to remove the dead eggs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
The process of claim 10, wherein the live fertilized eggs are incubated at a water temperature of from 25* to 28*C. with temperature fluctuations of less than 1*C., salinity of from 34 parts per thousand to 35 parts per thousand, under continual lighting conditions at a pH of 8.1 to 8.3.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process of claim 10, wherein the larvae rearing system is controlled so that the oxygen content of the water is above about 5 parts per million, salinity between 30 and 35 parts per thousand, water temperature of between 25*C and 28*C, a pH of between 8.1 and 8.3 and under continual lighting conditions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | 1977-10-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-15 | 1981-04-16 | 1981-10-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-15 | 1985-04-16 | 1985-10-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |