SBIR Phase IB: Launching Velella: Testing the Commercial Potential of Mobile Offshore Fish Farming In Ocean Gyres

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目探索通过使用漂浮在区域海洋环流中的流动鱼塘来扩大公海海产养殖。近海养鱼提供了巨大的增长机会，但也面临限制：租赁或扩建的许可程序冗长，担心对水质、底栖动物、野生鱼类健康和观测面的影响。Velella漂流网箱解决了这些监管问题，减少了对环境的潜在影响，并改善了鱼的健康和生产力。Velella网箱被缠绕在海上环流中，使用远程控制的风帆或可展开的海锚来提供矢量力。研究人员必须开发科纳环流的预测模型，通过部署GPS跟踪的下落架进行测试，然后从现有农场部署漂流笼子并跟踪其运动。还将测试用于视频监控和喂食控制的卫星链路。这项研究的更广泛影响是为公海海水养殖开发可持续、可扩展的技术。NOAA的目标是到2025年将水产养殖产量提高五倍。需求是迫切的：美国？S的海产品贸易逆差为90亿美元。国内海产品需求正在增加，但捕捞渔业面临种群减少、关闭和加强监管的问题。公海水产养殖为以可持续、无害环境的方式实现NOAA的目标和全球海产品需求提供了最佳机会。Kona Blue已经在夏威夷近海生产了高达10万磅的生鱼片级别的Kona Kampachi®，但扩张机会受到租约和许可证的限制。为Velella开发的更广泛的技术也可以授权给现有的农场运营，以提高自动化、减少劳动力和提高效率。该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project explores expanding open ocean mariculture by using mobile, drifting fish pens entrained in regional oceanic gyres. Offshore fish farming offers tremendous growth opportunities, but faces constraints: lengthy permit processes for leases or expansion and concerns for impacts on water quality, benthos, wild fish health and view planes. Velella drifter cages resolve these regulatory concerns, reduce potential for environmental impacts, and improve fish health and productivity. Velella cages are entrained within offshore gyres, using remotely-controlled sails or deployable sea-anchors for vector forces. Research must develop predictive models of the Kona gyre, test this by deployment of GPS-tracked drogues, and then deploy a drifting cage from the existing farm and track its movement. Satellite links for video-monitoring and feeding controls will also be tested. The broader impacts of this research are development of sustainable, scalable technology for open ocean mariculture. NOAA aspires to increase aquaculture production fivefold by 2025. The need is pressing: America?s seafood trade deficit is $9 billion. Domestic seafood demand is increasing, yet capture fisheries face declining stocks, closures, and increasing regulation. Open ocean aquaculture presents the best opportunity for meeting NOAA's goal and global seafood needs in a sustainable, environmentally-sound manner. Kona Blue already produces up to 100,000 lbs/month of sashimi-grade Kona Kampachi® offshore in Hawaii, but expansion opportunities are limited by leases and permits. Broader technologies developed for Velella could also be licensed to existing farm operations, to increase automation, reduce labor, and increase efficiencies. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).