Abstract:
A catching device for which a user can trap a fish in a body of water, wherein said catching device is generally comprised of a first side wall, a second side wall, a top, a bottom, an entrance opening and an exit opening. First side wall, second side wall, top and bottom form a frame which has a hollow interior. Entrance opening and exit opening form conduits between the body of water and the interior of the excluding device. The width of entrance opening is equal to the width of exit opening. Entrance opening and exit opening are surrounded by two excluding bars attached to two excluding plates such that the excluding plates define the maximum expandable width of entrance opening and exit opening. The maximum expandable width of entrance opening is greater than the maximum expandable width of exit opening. A plurality of ballast chambers are attached to the present device. The present catching device also contains a plurality of escape holes and at least two release doors set to open after prolonged exposure to water.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    This invention relates to the field of devices made for fishing. More specifically, the invention comprises a fish catching device which catches a specific size or shape of fish. 
         [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0007]    Presently, commercial and recreational fishermen are subject to many restrictions on both the size and type of fish that can be caught. Sport fishermen or recreational fishermen commonly use a reel, rod, line, hooks and various baits. These fishermen regulate their catch by throwing the fish back into the water if the catch is too small, too big or of an undesirable species. Oftentimes these fish do not live due to internal injuries related to decompression and hook removal. 
         [0008]    Similarly long line fishing, common to commercial fishermen, involves the use of baited hooks attached at intervals to a line, sometimes several miles long. They also discard undesirable species and fish that are too small resulting in mortality of juvenile fish. 
         [0009]    The Gulf of Mexico Fishing Counsel determined in 2009 that the use of hooks in both recreational and commercial fishing was related to a decrease in sea turtle population. 
         [0010]    Fish pots also known as traps, are also used by commercial fishermen to catch a variety of fish and crustaceans for consumption. Most pots are made from a metal wire or nylon web stretched over a steel frame. These pots have one or more openings called funnels which taper into the inside of the pot. Generally, when a fish enters the pot the funnel bends slightly allowing access. Once the fish is inside, the funnel returns back to its original narrowness preventing the fish from escape. Even though escape holes can be put in the sides of these pots to allow some smaller fish to escape, many juvenile fish are still caught and must be discarded. Present day fish pots use biodegradable escape panels which fall off after one or more months allowing fish or crabs to escape. 
         [0011]    Some common recreational and commercially caught fish species are protogynous hermaphroditic. These fish only produce a reproductive male when a candidate is of an older age or a larger size. With regards to these species, it would prove to be an invaluable management tool, if a harvest method were developed that would exclude the catching and resulting mortality of these larger fish. 
         [0012]    Therefore what is needed is a catching device which does not use hooks, thus eliminating sea turtle and seabird mortality. A catching device which eliminates all mortality associated with discards by excluding all of the smaller forage fish and all of the juvenile targeted species, and a device that could when needed, be set up to exclude all of the larger fish, allowing the protogynous hermaphroditic varieties to complete their reproductive cycle. In the event that this device is lost at sea it must be fitted with escape hatches which are accessible no matter what position the device is located and these hatches must open predictably in a predetermined number of days not months. The present invention achieves these objectives, as well as others that are explained in the following description. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention comprises a catching device which is generally comprised of a top, first side wall, second side wall, bottom, entrance opening and exit opening. The present catching device allows a user to trap a particularly sized range of fish. First side wall, second side wall, top and bottom form a frame which has a hollow interior. Entrance opening and exit opening form conduits between the body of water and the interior of the catching device. The width of entrance opening is the same as the width of exit opening. Entrance opening and exit opening are surrounded by two excluding bars attached to two excluding plates such that the excluding plates set the excluding bars a specific distance apart. The first side wall and second side wall sit inside of the excluding bars. The excluding bars form a maximum expandable width of entrance and exit openings. The present catching device also contains a plurality of escape holes and at least two release doors set to open after prolonged exposure to water. 
         [0014]    The difference in the maximum expandable widths of entrance opening and exit opening determines the size of fish that will be caught by the present catching device. Those fish which are smaller than the maximum expandable width of exit opening will swim out of the catching device while those fish larger than the maximum expandable width of entrance opening will not be able to enter the interior of catching device. It is in this manner that a specific range of size of fish can be captured by the present catching device. Additionally, different profiles can be set by the excluding bars by the addition of profile shields, thus creating a maximum expandable profile of entrance opening and exit opening. It is in this manner that a specific range of shape of fish can be captured by the present catching device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view, showing the attachment of excluding plates to bars. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view, showing a detailed view of the exit opening. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view, showing a detailed view of the entrance opening. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view, showing the present invention from above. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view, showing the sidewall of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view, showing galvanic time release and hooks attached to sidewall of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view, showing sidewall with release door opened. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view, showing the present invention in a body of water. 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view, showing the present invention being pulled out from a body of water. 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view, showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a schematic view, showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a section view, showing the ballast chamber of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
       [0029]      
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 10 
                 present catching device 
                 12 
                 top 
               
               
                 14 
                 first side wall 
                 16 
                 second side wall 
               
               
                 18 
                 bottom 
                 20 
                 excluder bar 
               
               
                 22 
                 outer nuts 
                 24 
                 excluder plate 
               
               
                 26 
                 small escape hole 
                 28 
                 exit 
               
               
                 30 
                 release door opening 
                 32 
                 release door 
               
               
                 34 
                 entrance 
                 36 
                 galvanic time release 
               
               
                 38 
                 jute string 
                 40 
                 clip 
               
               
                   
                   
                 44 
                 bolt hole 
               
               
                 46 
                 securing nuts 
                 48 
                 interior 
               
               
                 50 
                 ocean floor 
                 52 
                 pot warp line 
               
               
                 54 
                 boat 
                 56 
                 pot hauler 
               
               
                 58 
                 third side wall 
                 60 
                 alternate exits 
               
               
                 62 
                 alternate entries 
                 64 
                 bait cup 
               
               
                 66 
                 profile shields 
                 68 
                 ballast chambers 
               
               
                 70 
                 coupler 
                 72 
                 PVC pipe 
               
               
                 74 
                 floats 
                 76 
                 bolts 
               
               
                 78 
                 lead 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]      FIG. 1  illustrates the present invention in the preferred embodiment. The present catching device  10  is generally comprised of a top  12 , first side wall  14 , second side wall  16 , bottom  18 , entry  34 , exit  28 , excluder bars  20  and excluding plates  24 . The frame of the present catching device  10  is formed by top  12 , first side wall  14 , second side wall  16 , and bottom  18 . Present catching device  10  is preferably made primarily from vinyl coated wire; however, any semi-malleable, water-permeable material could be used. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present device is fully enclosed except for entry  34  and exit  28 . Exit  28  is shown in  FIG. 1 , formed by top  12 , first side wall  14 , second side wall  16  and bottom  18 . On either side of exit  28 , outside of first side wall  14  and second side wall  16  are two excluder bars  20  which run the height of exit  28 . Excluding plates  22 ,  24  attach to each excluder bar  20 , held in place by outer nuts  22  and securing nuts  46 , which fix excluder bars  20  apart from one another at a specific distance. Excluding plates  22 ,  24  pass through first and second side wall  14 ,  16  at exit  28  and are located between top  12  and bottom  18 . Excluder bars  20  dictate the maximum expandable size of exit  28  by keeping first and second side walls  14 ,  16  from expanding wider than excluder bars  20 . As a fish swims through entry  34 , the fish is able to push apart first side wall  14  and second side wall  16  to fit through. However, if a fish is larger than the width of the excluder bars  20 , the fish will be prevented from entering the present catching device  10 . In the preferred embodiment, four ballast chambers  68  are attached to each corner of the invention. Ballast chambers  68  are further described in  FIG. 13 , however, the reader will appreciate that as the present catching device  10  is lowered in the water, ballast chambers  68  allows the buoyancy of present catching device  10  to be adjusted to regulate the underwater weight of the present catching device  10 . This function allows minimum contact and destruction with the fragile ocean floor, while eliminating lobster and crab by-catch. Additionally, ballast chambers  68  act to keep the present catching device  10  in an upright position, ultimately ensuring proper orientation when the present catching device  10  comes to rest. Ballast chambers  68  contain coupler  70  (shown in  FIG. 13 ), in order to allow present catching device  10  to stack onto a second catching device. Thus, coupler  70  (shown in  FIG. 13 ) preferably has a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom of ballast chamber  68 . The reader will appreciate that any number of catching devices can be stacked and interconnected to one another. 
         [0031]    First side wall  14  and second side wall  16  contain a number of fish escape holes  26 . While the preferred embodiment shows four fish escape holes  26 , the reader will appreciate that any number and/or size of fish escape holes  26  can be incorporated into the present catching device  10 . Additionally, an optional bait cup  64  is shown on bottom  18  of present catching device  10  protruding upward into interior  48  of present catching device  10 . Bait cup  64  is accessible from the exterior of the present catching device  10 . It is in this manner that the user can load bait into bait cup  64  thereby attracting fish to the interior of the present catching device  10 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of entrance  34 . Similar to exit  28  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), entrance  34  is formed by top  12 , first and second side walls  14 ,  16 , and bottom  18 . First and second side walls  14 ,  16  curve together to form a funnel towards interior  48  of present catching device  10 . Excluding plates  22 ,  24 , which travel through first and second side wall  14 ,  16 , attach to excluder bars  20  by way of outer nuts  22  and securing nuts  46 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  shows the excluder bars  20 , excluding plates  24  and nuts  22  assembled. Each excluding plate  22  includes two bolt holes  44 . Two securing bolts  46  are screwed onto each excluder bar  20  prior to installing excluding plates  24 . Once securing bolts  46  are in place each excluding plate  24  is placed over excluder bars  20  at bolt holes  44 . The distance between the two bolt holes  44  determines the specific distance that excluder bars  20  are set apart. The reader will appreciate that different sized excluding plates  24  can be changed out relatively easily allowing the user to set the bars at different distances apart from each other by simply changing the excluding plates  24 . Once excluding plates  24  are attached to excluder bars  20  the remaining outer nuts  22  are screwed onto excluder bars  20  to hold excluding plates  24  in place. However, one skilled in the art will recognize that excluding plates  22 ,  24  and excluder bars  20  could be held together in any manner, including being welded together to form one integrated unit. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show the placement of excluding plates  24  onto the present catching device  10  at exit  28  and entrance  34 . In  FIG. 4A , exit  28  is shown defined by first side wall  14  and second side wall  16 . Excluding plate  24  passes through both first side wall  14  and second side wall  16  prior to attaching to excluder bars  20 . Top  12  is located above excluding plate  24 , however, excluder bars  20  could extend through top  12  and excluding plate  24  placed above top  12 . Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 4B , entrance  34  is shown formed by first side wall  14  and second side wall  16 . Excluding plate  24  passes through first side wall  14  and second side wall  16 . The reader will observe that while excluder bars  20  do not determine the unexpanded width of entrance  34  or exit  28 , excluder bars  20  do determine the maximum expanded width of both entrance  34  and exit  28 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view which shows a view from the top of the present catching device  10 . Entrance  34  and exit  28  are the same width. However, the width between excluder bars  20  at entrance  34  is larger than the width between excluder bars  20  at exit  28 . First side wall  14  and second side wall  16  taper in to form entrance  34 , which funnels into interior  48  of the present catching device  10 . As a fish swims through entrance  34 , first side wall  14  and second side wall  16  would naturally expand to allow the fish to enter. As long as the fish was smaller than the maximum expandable entrance, or width of the excluder bars  20  the fish would enter into present catching device  10 . Once inside the interior  48  of the present catching device  10  the fish would naturally swim towards exit  28 . If the fish is too large to fit through the width that the excluder bars  20  are set apart, just outside of exit  28 , the fish would cycle throughout interior  48 , as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 5 . The difference in size between the width of the excluder bars  20  outside of entrance  34  and the width of excluder bars  20  outside of exit  28  allows the user to capture a fish that is not too small and not too big. Depending on the desired size ratio a user could change the width of excluder bars  20  around entrance  34  and exit  28  in order to capture a particular size group of fish. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 11 , profile shields  66  can be placed inside or outside of first side wall  14  and second side wall  16 , allowing the user to capture a particular shape of fish, as described below. 
         [0036]      FIG. 6  shows the location of release door  32  on first side wall  14 . Two release doors  32  are opposite one another on the present catching device  10 .  FIG. 7  shows a more detailed view of the manner in which release door  32  is held to other release door  32 . Galvanic time releases  36  are devices which corrode relatively quickly when exposed to water. In the present device the galvanic time release  36  is used to allow release doors  32  to open in the event that the present device is lost at sea. Clips  40  are attached at one end to galvanic time release  36 . The other end of clips  40  are attached to opposite release doors  32 . In the event that the present device is lost at sea galvanic time release  36  will corrode in the fixed period of time and open the release door  32 , shown in  FIG. 8 , allowing sea life to pass freely through the device. Jute strings  38  are used to tie the lower part of release door  32 . Jute strings  38  are preferably biodegradable as added security of release door  32  opening after a long period of time underwater. 
         [0037]    The illustration in  FIG. 9  portrays how the present catching device  10  sits on ocean floor  50  attached to pot hauler  56  and boat  54  by pot warp line  52 . As the present catching device  10  sits on the ocean floor  50 , very small fish can freely swim in and out of present catching device  10 . However, fish larger than the maximum expanded width of entrance  34  are unable to swim into the present catching device  10  at all. 
         [0038]      FIG. 10  shows how present catching device  10  operates to funnel the fish out of device while being lifted off of the ocean floor  50 . Pot warp line  52  is attached to two points on present catching device  10  on both sides of entrance  34 . The other end of pot warp line  52  is attached to a pot hauler  56 . Pot hauler  56  retracts pot warp line  52 . Pot hauler  56  can be programmed with an assent control device to retract pot warp line  52  and the present catching device  10  at a specified rate with several pre-programmed stops at specified depths. The function of the pot hauler  56  allows the user to slowly depressurize the fish preventing internal bodily damage created by surfacing too quickly. Pot warp line  52  pulls present catching device  10  towards the stern of the boat  54  with entrance  34  advancing toward the boat  54  first. As present catching device  10  moves upward through the water, the water passes through present catching device  10  creating a consistent flow of water directing the fish towards exit  28 . It is in this manner that the device acts like a funnel and the hydrodynamic force, forces fish smaller than the maximum expanded width of exit  28  to leave interior  48  of present catching device  10 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 11  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present invention. In the alternate embodiment profile shields  66  are set either parallel to or angled away from excluder plates  24 . Profile shields  66  expand as fish swims through allowing first side wall  14  and second side wall  16  to expand. By placing different sized profile shields  66  at entrance and exit (not shown) the user can catch a group of fish with a particular profile. 
         [0040]      FIG. 12  shows a schematic view of the alternate embodiment of the present invention. In the alternate embodiment there are two entries  62  and four exits  60 . The reader will observe that any number of exits and entries can be added to the present device. The function of the alternate embodiment is very similar to the preferred embodiment, in that the fish are forced towards alternate exits  60  as the device is pulled through the water. 
         [0041]    In  FIG. 13  the inside of a ballast chamber  68  is shown. Ballast chamber  68  is preferably made up of a PVC pipe  72 , with coupler  70  at the top of ballast chamber  68  to allow the base of the PVC pipe  72  to fit into top  70  of ballast chamber  68 . Coupler  70  is preferably a PVC pipe coupler. Lead  78  sits in the base of each ballast chamber  68  causing ballast chamber  68  to sink while floats  74  are located in the top portion of each ballast chamber  68  designed to keep the ballast chamber  68  upright and maintain the desired amount of negative buoyancy. Additionally, ballast chamber  68  protrudes past the bottom of the device to suspend the device over the fragile ocean bottom (or body of water bottom) while eliminating crustacean and shellfish by-catch. 
         [0042]    The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. As an example, additional entries and exits can be added to the present invention. Additionally, release door  32  could be held in place on sidewall by a number of different means. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.