Status of Mussel Culture in NH Michael Chambers, Rich Langan, Ken La Valley University of New Hampshire
Where are we located? Jere Chase Ocean Engineering Lab Judd Gregg Marine Complex AMAC Offshore Research Platform
Lang Fisheries Production capacity 120,000 lbs! Planned build out to 400,000 lbs! Commercial Farm Site Approved in 2005!
DESIGN PRINCIPLES Constants: Geometry Minimal surface floatation Variables: Site, growth, production target, equipment, weather Length -350-650 Depth- significant wave height Line diameter/strength Buoyancy- submergence depth, cost Anchoring- oceanography, substrate, vessel size
EARLY DESIGN APPROACHES Prior Experience and best professional judgment Knowledge of site characteristics Engineering analyses Anchor tensions Line diameters Anchor holding power Response to sea conditions Buoyancy Orientation to currents and waves
FINITE ELEMENT MODELING UNH AQUA FE design Swell floatation current
Submerged Mussel Longlines!
Re- purposed fishing vessel
Purposed built aquaculture vessel
Operations with Surface Vessel!
Mooring Lines Low Stretch High strength/diameter ratio Abrasion resistant ¾ to 1 ½
Buoyancy Structural (corner floats) 350-1000 lbs of buoyancy Working depth 60 > Cluster of six 16 buoys- 420 lbs 500 lbs buoyancy
Mussel Growout on Submerged Longlines Shell" Height (mm)" Months Post Deployment
Processed mussels have been marketed to restaurants and retailers since 2002! Wholesale price $1.25 USD/lb! (3,50 Euro/kg)! Meat Yields 42% -58%!
Bio-fouling, Predators and Equipment
NH Offshore Mussel Summary Growth!! Approximately 4 mm (0.2 inches)/month!! Average Growout from spat set: 13 months!!!4-6 months on seed collectors (nursery)!!!8-9 months on longlines (growout)!! Meat Yield 43%-58% (season, spawning cycle)! Production Seed line to growout line ratio 1: 3!! Two production cycles per year!! Optimal seed density on growout ropes: 600-675 seed/m!! 600 m* of growout rope per longline; max of 900 m**!! Average 10kg/m at market size!! 6,000*-9,000 **kg per longline!
More Recently in NH
Educating NH Fishermen on Aquaculture 1. Small scale, inshore farming approach 2. Fishers maintain farm to and from fishing grounds 3. Utilize existing fishing vessels and infrastructure 4. Subsidize wild catches with aquaculture 5. Production levels of 5-10 ton / year 6. 1 permit issued for demonstration, 5 pending 7. Adopt multi- trophic model shellfish and algae
Polyculture of Steelhead trout and Mussels Cage frame 20 x 16 per cage Water depth 35 Mussels lines suspended from cage 2 spawns per years in GOM Trout to market in 8 months
Mussel Mitigation, Ecosystem Services Mussel seed collected on dropper lines suspended around the fish cages. Also collected off the fish net and reseeded into net tubing material. Estimated > 12 million 10-15mm seed collected. By summer 2013, mussels will be harvested and N removed.
Submerged Spat Collection
Permitting, no process in federal waters Established offshore culture technology Access to equipment and supplies in US, localized processing equipment Red tide closures Commercial scale, purpose- built vessels Dependence on wild caught seed Land based hatcheries Ocean acidification Industry Constraints
What's Next?
What s the Future for Farming the Ocean Ocean renewable energy and seafood production should be developed together on similar platforms. Integrate environmental stewardship Involving integrated multi- trophic species Organic and inorganic Bio fuels Develop new protein sources for fish feeds (marine plant based) Develop turn key ocean farming systems Engage fishermen and cross train in ocean farming
Acknowledgments NH Sea Grant NOAA - funded UNH Open Ocean Aquaculture Project John Bonardelli Carter Newell NH Commercial Fishermen Mussel industry in NZ and Ireland UNH biological, environmental, engineering and field teams Thank You!