Patent ID: 9420772
Filing Date: 2016-08-23
CPC Classification: A01K,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for harvesting aquatic animals, comprising: a cod end portion having an open leading end and a closed trailing end and one or more side walls between the leading end and the trailing end, wherein the side wall(s) comprise(s) a flexible membrane and wherein the side wall(s) and the trailing end are substantially impervious to water; and an elongate lengthener portion having a leading end, a trailing end, and one or more side wall(s) between the leading end and the trailing end, wherein at least a majority of the side wall(s) comprise(s) a flexible membrane that is substantially impervious to water, and wherein the trailing end of the lengthener portion is operatively connected to the leading end of the cod end portion; wherein the elongate lengthener portion comprises a plurality of escapements through which aquatic animals that are smaller than a desired size and water can pass from an interior of the apparatus to an exterior of the apparatus to cause a general reduction in the water flow rate inside the apparatus from the leading end of the elongate lengthener portion toward the trailing end of the elongate lengthener portion and toward the trailing end of the cod end portion when the apparatus is submerged in a body of water and there is water flow relative to the apparatus.