Patent Publication Number: US-2005139164-A1

Title: System and method for clam farming

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The invention relates, in general, to aquaculture production of seafood, and, in particular, to systems and methods for clam farming.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Conventional clam farming experiences relatively high mortality rates during the clam growth period generally lasting many months or years for clams to grow to marketable size from seed stock. In an attempt to counter the mortality issue of the growth period, conventional clam farmers plant clams in relatively high densities. Unfortunately, this high density planting can increase expenditures for the initial seed stock. Also, with high planting densities, mortality rates during harvest are increased because as some clams are dug up, their closely packed neighbors are accidentally destroyed. Furthermore, mortality during the growth period typically has a less than uniform distribution with possible results including areas with few or no clam populations and other areas having overly dense populations of poorly formed and stunted clams adversely impacting production efficiencies.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Some embodiments include a clam farm below the surface of a body of water having a mean high tide level. The clam farm includes a plurality of clams arranged in rows. The rows are separated from each other by substantially a row separation distance. Each row has node points being separated from one another by a node separation distance. Each clam is buried substantially at a predetermined depth below a portion of the Earth&#39;s surface, the portion of the Earth&#39;s surface being below the mean high tide level of the body of water. Each clam has a hinge with a reference point being defined as a mid-point on the clam hinge. Each buried clam has its reference point located within 30% of the node separation distance and within 30% of the row separation distance from one of the node points on one of the rows.  
      Other embodiments include a system associated with a body of water having a surface. The system includes a supply ship configured to be located on or near the surface of the body of water. The supply ship includes a separation station having at least one receiver configured to receive clams and transport fluid. A clam planter includes an underwater vehicle and at least one row component. The underwater vehicle is configured to travel along the Earth&#39;s surface below the surface of the body of water. The row component is slideably coupled to the underwater vehicle and configured to expose portions of the Earth at a predetermined depth below its surface as the underwater vehicle travels along the Earth&#39;s surface. A tube is coupled to the receiver and the row component. The tube is configured to conduct the received clams and the transport fluid from the receiver of the separation station to the row component. The row component is further configured to output the received clams into the exposed portions.  
      Other embodiments include a method for planting clams in part of the Earth having a surface below a surface of a body of water. The method includes introducing an individual clam into an opening of a first end of a tube; exposing a portion of the part of the Earth below its surface to a predetermined depth; and positioning a second end of the tube with respect to the exposed portion of Earth to allow the clam to enter the exposed portion of Earth. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic illustrating of a clam farm.  
       FIG. 2A  is a schematic illustrating a first implementation portion of. the clam farm.  
       FIG. 2B  is a schematic illustrating a second implementation portion of the clam farm.  
       FIG. 2C  is a schematic illustrating a clam.  
       FIG. 2D  is a schematic illustrating further detail of the clam farm portions including positioning of the clam shown in  FIG. 2C .  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic showing a clam planter coupled to a supply ship by a supply tube in relation with the clam farm.  
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged side view schematic of the clam planter and supply ship shown in  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged rear view schematic of the clam planter shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
       FIG. 6A  is an enlarged schematic of a separation station of the supply ship shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
       FIG. 6B  is an enlarged schematic of a portion of the separation station shown in  FIG. 6A  showing further operational details.  
       FIG. 7A  is an enlarged side view schematic of a lower portion of a row component of the claim planter shown in  FIG. 5 .  
       FIG. 7B  is an enlarged front view schematic of the lower portion of the row component shown in  FIG. 7B .  
       FIG. 7C  is an enlarged rear view schematic of the lower portion of the row component shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      A system and method for clam farming is described herein to plant, grow, and harvest clams while emphasizing considerations such as mortality reductions and production efficiencies.  
      As generally depicted in  FIG. 1 , a clam farm  10  is located along and below a portion of the Earth&#39;s surface  12  being generally at or below a mean tide level  16 , and more particularly, at or below an upper depth  18  dependent upon an inter-tidal zone having a mean tidal high and mean tidal low and at or above a lower depth  20  generally dependent upon physiological constraints of divers or other practical constraints imposed by growing conditions for the clams if automated robotic harvesting techniques were employed.  
      In the clam farm  10 , clams are planted at a predetermined depth below the Earth&#39;s surface with reference to guides  22 , made from polyethylene rope, wire, bundled cable, fiber optic cable, or other flexible members, laid out along the Earth&#39;s surface or etched into the Earth&#39;s surface. The guides  22  are generally separated by a guide separation distance  23  from each other and further demarcated by markers  24 , such as weighted lines with buoys, or flags, or other demarcating device. In particular and is best seen in  FIG. 2A , clams  26  are generally spaced from one another, given certain tolerances and mortalities further discussed below, a node separation distance  27  in sequential placements or rows  28 . The rows  28  are spaced from one another by a row separation distance  29 , which is typically substantially equal to the node separation distance  27  as shown in  FIG. 2A . The rows  28  extend generally parallel to the guide  22 . Portions of the rows  28  can be substantially straight as exemplified in  FIG. 2A  or curved as exemplified in  FIG. 28  depending upon the contour of the particular portion of the Earth&#39;s surface  12  where the rows are located.  
      To further describe placement of the clams  26 , a clam reference point  26   a,  shown in  FIG. 2C , is defined as being located mid-way on the hinge of each clam  26 . The clams  26  are planted along the rows  28  so that the clam reference points  26   a  are substantially located within a given tolerance region N 1  of a node point N of a grid of node points N spaced from one another along the rows by the node separation distance  27  and spaced apart from adjacent rows by the row separation distance  29  as shown in the fragmentary portion of the clam farm  10  shown in  FIG. 2D . During planting of the clams  26 , each of the clam reference points  26   a  is located within its respective tolerance region N 1  around the associated node point N, depicted as a circular region with a radius R having a length approximately 5% to 30% of the node separation distance  27  or the row separation distance  29 , which are typically the same.  
      If the clams  26  have been successfully planted to a proper pre-determined depth below the Earth&#39;s surface  12 , the clams will remain substantially stationary so that as each of the clams grow, the associated clam reference point  26   a  will remain within its respective tolerance region N 1  of the associated node point N. Furthermore, during the growth period of the clams  26 , some implementations can experience certain mortalities of typically up to 15% and other implementations up to 25% such that 85% or 75%, respectively, of the clams mature for harvest at the desired marketable weight. Consequently, although substantially all of the node points N will have one clam reference point  26   a  within the associated tolerance region range immediately after planting to entirely populate the clam farm  10 , at the end of the growth period at harvest time, there will not be a harvestable viable clam with an associated clam reference point  26   a  within the tolerance regions of the node points N for up to the 15% or 25% of the node points N.  
      The node separation distance  27  and the row separation distance  29  can be chosen based upon such factors as nutrient levels and rates available to the clams  26 , water temperature and ranges, desired range of marketable weight for the clams, whether a desired planting depth of the clams can be achieved, the species of clams being planted, and the size of the clams being planted. An exemplary implementation for geoduck ( panopea generosa ) or horse clams may use a distance value between 6 and 12 inches for the node separation distance  27  and the row separation distance  29 , with the distance value possibly being as small as 3 inches for a desired marketable weight range of between 1.5 and 2 pounds. Other clams, such as manila clams, with a smaller desired marketable weight range may have the node separation distance  27  and the row separation distance  29  between 2 and 3 inches with the distance value possibly being as small as 1 inch.  
      The clams  26  are planted using a clam planter  30  traveling along the guide  22  in a forward direction of travel  31 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The clams  26  are supplied to the clam planter  30  from a supply ship  32  by a supply tube bundle  34 . The clam planter  30  is configured to plant a plurality of the rows  28  typically on either side of the guide  22  in one pass as the clam planter traces the trail demarcated by the guide.  
      The supply tube bundle  34  is typically made up of a plurality of individual tubes, one for each of the plurality of the rows  28  planted in a pass. The tubes of the supply tube bundle  34  typically are flexible to allow for motion of the supply ship  32  and the clam planter  30  and are typically substantially clear to allow for visual monitoring of the clams  26  as they move through the tubes. Each individual tube supplies the clams  26  to the clam planter  30  for a separate one of the rows  28  that the clam planter plants in a single pass along the guide  22 . For each one of the rows  28  that the clam planter  30  plants at anyone pass, the clams  26  are introduced into the respective individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34  at a periodic interval with the clam planter traveling at substantially a uniform velocity, such as 3 to 30 ft/min, in the forward direction of travel  31  selected, so that the clams  26  are planted at substantially the node separation distance  27  within a desired tolerance region N 1  such as described above. Furthermore, the row separation distance  29  is determined by structural configurations of the clam planter  30  further detailed below.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , the supply ship  32  includes a surface platform  36  to support operations personnel and equipment involved with supplying the clams  26  to the clam planter  30 . Equipment on the supply ship  32  includes a separation station  38  and a control station  40 . The separation station  38  includes a work bench  42  with a top surface  44  to position the clams  26  to be individually separated for introduction into an individual tube of the supply tube bundle  34  through one of a plurality of receivers  46  being equal to the number of the plurality of rows being planted in a pass of the clam planter  30 . Each of the individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34  is coupled to one receiver  46  of the separation station  38 . Each receiver  46  of the plurality of receivers has a reduced portion  48  that is coupled by a fitting  49  to one of the individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34 .  
      The receivers  46  are generally funnel shaped to allow for a transition of separated clams  26  from being stationary with other clams on the surface  44  of the work bench  42  to being transported inside one of the individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34 . Once one of the clams  26  is separated and introduced into the receiver  46  a water supply  50  provides water to transport the clam from the receiver into one of the individual tubes. The waters supply  50  uses an extraction tube  52  to gather uptake water  53  through a pumping action provided by a pump  54  and to distribute the uptake water  53  as transport water  59  through a manifold  56  coupled with a plurality of individual nozzles  58  one associated with each receiver  46 . The transport water  59  leaving each of the individual nozzles  58  is directed into the associated one of the receivers  46  to assist in moving the clam  26  therein in a clam entry direction  60  toward and into the individual tube of the supply tube bundle  34  attached to the receiver.  
      The clam planter  30  includes cameras  61  coupled to the control station  40  through a control cable  62  that allow an operator at the control station to monitor planting and travel progress by the clam planter and to accordingly adjust operational aspects of the clam planter through the control station, such as travel speed and direction of travel of the underwater vehicle  66 , flow rate of the transport water  59 , and interval period for introduction of the individual clams  26  into the individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34 . The clam planter  30  further includes a plurality of row components  64  having a number equal to the plurality of rows planted in one pass by the clam planter and an underwater vehicle  66  carrying the row components as the clam planter travels. Each of the row components  64  is coupled to one of the individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34  by a fitting  68  to receive the clams  26  from the supply ship  32 . Each of the row components  64  includes a shaft  70  slideably coupled to the underwater vehicle  66  in a substantially vertical orientation along its longitudinal dimension.  
      Removably coupled to a mid-portion of the shaft  70  are one or more weights  72  secured on the shaft through use of a stop  74  located therebelow. Coupled to another mid-portion of the shaft  70  below the weights  72  is a ski  75  configured to ride upon the Earth&#39;s surface  12  to maintain a desired spatial relationship of the shaft with respect to the Earth&#39;s surface. Further coupled to a lower portion of the shaft  70  are a plow  76  and a deposit tube  78 . The shaft  70  is hollow along its longitudinal dimension and receives the clams  26  through the fitting  68  from one of the individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34  and transports the clams to the end of the deposit tube  78 . The plow  76  extends from the ski  75  to a predetermined depth D into the Earth to create a furrow ahead of the position of the deposit tube  78  with the underwater vehicle  66  moving in the forward direction of travel  31  and the row components  64  so coupled to the underwater vehicle as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      The deposit tube  78  is curved rearward, away from the plow  76  so that as the underwater vehicle  66  moves in the forward direction of travel  31  the deposit tube does not become plugged with soil substrate. The clams  26  exit the deposit tube  78  at the predetermined depth D in one of the rows  28  and at intervals substantially spaced at the node separation distance  27  based upon periodic separation and introduction of individual clams into the corresponding receiver  46  of the supply ship  32 . The predetermined depth D is dependent upon the size of the clams  26  being planted. For instance, typically for implementations for planting clams  26  ranging in size between 2 mm and 12 mm, a depth of approximately 3.5 to 4 inches has been found effective.  
      The underwater vehicle  66  follows generally accepted construction and design practices for underwater vehicles including treads  80 , wheels  82 , and frame members  84 . Details of the underwater vehicle  66  including propulsion and control are conventionally known. As best shown in  FIG. 5  for an exemplary implementation, one of the frame members  84  running perpendicular to the forward direction of travel  31  has a series of vertical openings  84   a,  which each allow one of the shafts  70  of the row components  64  to be slideably coupled to the underwater vehicle  66  while allowing the shaft to move vertically in a fashion largely independent to the vertical position of the frame member.  
       FIG. 6A  has further detail of the exemplary separation station  38  showing a full complement of six receivers  46  and associated nozzles  58  coupled to the manifold  56 .  FIG. 6B  shows operational details wherein an operator  87  uses a separator tool  86  to separate one of the clams  26  from a pile clams to introduce the separated clam to the receiver  46  to be transported by transport water  59  from one of the nozzles  58  into one of the individual tubes of the supply tube bundle  34 . Further implementations include a signaling device (not shown) to alert the operator when to separate a next clam to send to the receiver  46 . The signaling device could use any combination of audio, tactile, or visual stimulation to alert the operator. The signaling device would typically be communicatively linked to the control station  40  so that the frequency of when the individual clams  26  are introduced into the receivers  46  would be coordinated with the speed of the underwater vehicle  66  in the forward direction of travel  31 .  
      Various orientational views of the ski  75 , the plow  76 , and the deposit tube  78  are shown in  FIGS. 7A-7C .  FIG. 7A  is a side view with respect to the forward direction of travel  31 , which shows detail of how the hollow center portion of the shaft  70  interfaces with the deposit tube  78 . Although the plow  76  is shown with a pointed tip, many other implementations can be used which include both sharp and dulled rods, tines, and other substantially rigid extending members. As shown in  FIGS. 7A-7C , the exemplary implementation of the ski  75  has a broad form somewhat reminiscent of a shape of a water-ski although in other implementations, the ski may have other configurations including other widths, tapers, and tip shapes such as used for types of activities involving water, snow, earth, or ice. In some implementations, the ski  75  may be slightly bent along its longitudinal edges (not shown) in such a way to gently push the soil loosened by the plow  76  back onto portions of the furrow created by the plow immediately after the clams  26  have been placed into those portions of the furrow.  
      The foregoing described embodiments depict different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality.  
      While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the appended claims. Note: it will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).