Patent US4183322A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4183322A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Abalone mariculture
Assignee: Monterey Abalone Farms
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Filing: 1977-10-03
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Granted: 1980-01-15
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Expires: 1997-10-03
Abstract
Abstract In a process and apparatus for mariculture of abalone, fertilized abalone eggs are filtered from the environment in which they are spawned and fertilized and placed at controlled density into a constant temperature hatching bath of filtered seawater. The dissolved oxygen content of the hatching bath is maintained above at least about 75% of saturation at the temperature of the water. After the eggs hatch and the larvae have broken away from their respective egg cases, they are transferred free of egg debris to a constant temperature larvae growing bath of filtered seawater for the duration of larval development.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred T. Shultz
- 👤 George S. Lockwood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:37
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K61/00; A01K61/50; A01K61/54; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/80; Y02A40/81
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater and growing the hatched larvae, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; (c) placing the cleaned eggs in a second body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at substantially constant temperature; (d) selectively transferring the resultant larvae substantially free of hatching debris to a third body of seawater; and (e) holding the larvae in the third body of seawater until they are ready to metamorphose to a crawling animal while maintaining the third body of water at a constant temperature.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater and growing the hatched larvae, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; (c) placing the cleaned eggs in a second body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at substantially constant temperature; (d) selectively transferring the resultant larvae substantially free of hatching debris to a third body of seawater; and (e) holding the larvae in the third body of seawater until they are ready to metamorphose to a crawling animal while maintaining the third body of water at a constant temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the second and third body of seawater are held at a substantially constant temperature between about 16° and 18° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the oxygen content of the second body of seawater is maintained above about 75% of saturation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process according to claim 1 in which air is circulated in the second body of seawater to maintain the eggs in suspension therein until just prior to the separation of the hatched larvae from the egg case.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
85 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 in which the fertilized eggs are separated from the first body of seawater by repetitive two-stage filtration in the first stage of which the eggs are retained on a filter of approximately 100 micron size, are thereafter washed in sterilized water and then passed through a second filter of approximately 300 micron size, which two-stage filtration process is repeated a number of times to insure that the eggs will thereafter be incubated in a minimal bacteria count environment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 in which the second body of seawater comprises seawater which has been passed through a two-micron filter and subjected to ultraviolet sterilization to reduce the bacteria count thereof to not more than about 100 cells per milliliter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process in accordance with claim 1 in which the ammonia concentration in the third body of seawater is maintained at less than about 100 parts per billion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; and (c) placing the cleaned eggs in a second body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at substantially constant temperature.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; and (c) placing the cleaned eggs in a second body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at substantially constant temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process in accordance with claim 8 in which the second body of seawater is maintained at a substantially constant temperature between about 16° and 18° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process in accordance with claim 8 in which the oxygen concentration of the second body of seawater is maintained above about 75% of saturation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A process in accordance with claim 8 in which air is circulated gently through the second body of seawater to maintain the eggs in suspension therein and such air circulation is discontinued approximately two hours prior to the separation of hatched larvae from the eggs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process in accordance with claim 8 in which the second body of seawater has been filtered and sterilized to reduce the bacteria count thereof to less than about 100 cells per millilter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for culturing larvae hatched in a first body of seawater from abalone eggs suspended therein, which comprises the steps of: (a) selectively transferring larvae substantially free of hatching debris from the first body of seawater to a second body of seawater; (b) holding the larvae in the second body of seawater until they are ready to metamorphose to a crawling animal while maintaining the second body of seawater at a constant temperature; and (c) maintaining the ammonia content of the second body of seawater at less than about 100 parts per billion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for culturing larvae hatched in a first body of seawater from abalone eggs suspended therein, which comprises the steps of: (a) selectively transferring larvae substantially free of hatching debris from the first body of seawater to a second body of seawater; (b) holding the larvae in the second body of seawater until they are ready to metamorphose to a crawling animal while maintaining the second body of seawater at a constant temperature; and (c) maintaining the ammonia content of the second body of seawater at less than about 100 parts per billion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
96 words
The process for culturing larvae hatched in a first body of seawater from abalone eggs suspended therein, which comprises the steps of: (a) selectively transferring larvae substantially free of hatching debris from the first body of seawater to a second body of seawater which consists of ocean water which has been filtered through an approximately 25 micron filter and has not been otherwise sterilized; and (b) holding the larvae in the second body of seawater until they are ready to metamorphose to a crawling animal while maintaining the second body of seawater at a constant temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
96 words
The process for culturing larvae hatched in a first body of seawater from abalone eggs suspended therein, which comprises the steps of: (a) selectively transferring larvae substantially free of hatching debris from the first body of seawater to a second body of seawater which consists of ocean water which has been filtered through an approximately 25 micron filter and has not been otherwise sterilized; and (b) holding the larvae in the second body of seawater until they are ready to metamorphose to a crawling animal while maintaining the second body of seawater at a constant temperature.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; and (c) placing the cleaned eggs at a density of not to exceed about ten eggs per milliliter of water in a second quiescent body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at a substantially constant temperature.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
94 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; and (c) placing the cleaned eggs at a density of not to exceed about ten eggs per milliliter of water in a second quiescent body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at a substantially constant temperature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
105 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; (c) placing the cleaned eggs at a density of not to exceed about thirty-five eggs per milliliter of water in a second body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at substantially constant temperature; and (d) agitating the second body of seawater to keep the eggs suspended therein.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
105 words
A process for incubating abalone eggs which have been spawned and fertilized in a first confined body of seawater, which comprises the steps of: (a) separating the fertilized eggs from the first body of seawater; (b) cleaning the eggs to separate contaminating organic matter therefrom; (c) placing the cleaned eggs at a density of not to exceed about thirty-five eggs per milliliter of water in a second body of purified seawater for the period necessary for incubation and hatching and while holding the second body of seawater at substantially constant temperature; and (d) agitating the second body of seawater to keep the eggs suspended therein.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3196833A
Cited
US3526209A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-01-14 | 1983-07-16 | 1984-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-01-14 | 1987-07-16 | 1988-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-01-14 | 1991-07-16 | 1992-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |