Aquaculture system

Abstract

There is disclosed an aquaculture system located in a water body, the water body having a water surface, with a ground surface below the water body. The system has a surface buoy floating on the water surface, a control buoy, and a buoyant backbone. The system also has a pulleys anchored to the ground and control lines extending between the surface buoy, control buoy and the backbone. The buoyancy of the surface buoy is greater than the buoyancy of the control buoy minus the buoyancy of the backbone such that the control buoy floats in the water body below the water surface and the backbone floats in the water body below the water surface. The surface buoy, control buoy, and backbone are arranged such that as the water surface together with the surface buoy rises away from the ground surface, the surface buoy pulls on the surface buoy-control buoy tension line causing the control buoy to move towards the ground surface, while simultaneously the backbone pulls on the control buoy-backbone tension line such that the control buoy moving towards the ground surface allows the backbone to rise away from the ground surface.

Description

[0001] AQUACULTURE SYSTEM

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention relates to an aquaculture system.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Aquaculture systems have been used in the aquaculture industry for years for growing shellfish such as mussels, clams, oyster, scallops. Aquaculture systems require buoys and support systems located on the surface of the water that prevent the use of, and act as an eye sore, on the water surface of which they are located. Current systems require anchor points on a seabed, and current submerged aquaculture systems require manual adjustment to maintain a desired depth, resulting in a variable depth due to the effect of tides on the system.

[0006] In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents or such sources of information is not to be construed as an admission that such documents or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

[0007] It is an object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an aquaculture system that addresses one or more of the problems described above, and / or to at least provide the public with a useful alternative.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided an aquaculture system located in a water body, the water body having a water surface, with a ground surface below the water body, the system comprising: a surface buoy floating on the water surface, the surface buoy having a buoyancy; a control buoy having a buoyancy; a buoyant backbone having a buoyancy; a surface buoy-control buoy pulley anchored to the ground; a surface buoy-control buoy tension line extending between the surface buoy, through the surface buoy-control buoy pulley, and the control buoy, a control buoy-backbone pulley anchored to the ground; a control buoy-backbone tension line extending between the control buoy, through the control buoy-backbone pulley and the backbone; the buoyancy of the surface buoy being greater than the buoyancy of the control buoy minus the buoyancy of the backbone, such that the control buoy floats in the water body below the water surface and the backbone floats in the water body below the water surface; wherein the surface buoy, control buoy, and backbone are arranged such that as the water surface together with the surface buoy rises away from the ground surface, the surface buoy pulls on the surface buoy-control buoy tension line causing the control buoy to move towards the ground surface, while simultaneously the backbone pulls on the control buoy-backbone tension line such that the control buoy moving towards the ground surface allows the backbone to rise away from the ground surface.

[0010] In an embodiment, the buoyancy of the surface buoy is adjustable.

[0011] In an embodiment, the buoyancy of the control buoy is adjustable.

[0012] In an embodiment, the surface buoy-control buoy tension line and the control buoybackbone tension line are a single line.

[0013] In an embodiment, the surface buoy-control buoy tension line and the control buoybackbone tension line are separate lines.

[0014] In an embodiment, the aquaculture system further comprises an additional control buoybackbone tension line.

[0015] In an embodiment, the aquaculture system further comprises two or more additional control buoy-backbone tension lines.

[0016] In an embodiment, the or each control buoy-backbone tension line diverges into two or more lines that are attached to the backbone.

[0017] In an embodiment, each pulley is attached to the ground surface by an anchor.

[0018] In an embodiment, the anchor is or comprises a screw anchor. Additionally or alternatively, the anchor is or comprises a concrete block.

[0019] In an embodiment, the buoyancy of surface buoy is about 4.2 tonne.

[0020] In an embodiment, the buoyancy of the control buoy is about 6.2 tonne.

[0021] In an embodiment, the buoyancy of the backbone is about 4.2 tonne.

[0022] In an embodiment, the backbone comprises a buoyant tube or multiple buoyant tubes. In an embodiment in situations in which the seabed is flat or evenly sloped, each pulley is located about lm above the ground surface.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment, the ground surface may be sloped and / or uneven, and the positioning of each pulley is adjusted in accordance with the variations in the ground surface. For example, 2m, 3m or more above the ground surface.

[0024] In an embodiment, the surface buoy is located near one end of the backbone and spaced away from the end of the backbone in a longitudinal direction of the system.

[0025] In an embodiment, the control buoy is located between the surface buoy and the backbone in a longitudinal direction of the system.

[0026] In an embodiment, the control buoy is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the backbone or offset from the longitudinal axis of the backbone.

[0027] In an embodiment, the surface buoy is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the backbone or offset from the longitudinal axis of the backbone.

[0028] In an embodiment, the surface buoy-control buoy pulley is anchored to the ground at or near the same location of the surface buoy in a longitudinal axis of the backbone or offset from the longitudinal axis of the backbone.

[0029] In an embodiment, the control buoy-backbone pulley is anchored to the ground at or near the same location of the end of the backbone in a longitudinal axis of the backbone and with a second pulley, offset the control buoy and the surface buoy from the longitudinal axis of the backbone.

[0030] In an embodiment, the backbone is submerged between about lm and about 10m below the water surface.

[0031] In an embodiment, the backbone is submerged between about 2m and about 4m below the water surface.

[0032] In an embodiment, the surface buoy, the control buoy, the surface buoy-control buoy pulley, the surface buoy-control buoy tension line, the control buoy-backbone pulley, and the control buoy-backbone tension line form a first buoyancy control sub-assembly at one end of the backbone and the aquaculture system further comprises second buoyancy control sub-assembly at the other end of the backbone, the second buoyancy control sub-assembly having a surface buoy, a control buoy, a surface buoy-control buoy pulley, a surface buoy-control buoy tension line, a control buoy-backbone pulley, and a control buoy-backbone tension line.

[0033] In an embodiment, the aquaculture system further comprises a plurality of culture ropes suspended from the backbone.

[0034] In an embodiment, the aquaculture system further comprises a plurality of mussel spat or mussel seed on the culture ropes.

[0035] In an embodiment, the aquaculture system further comprises a plurality of mussels on the culture ropes.

[0036] The term 'comprising' as used in this specification and claims means 'consisting at least in part of'. When interpreting statements in this specification and claims which include the term 'comprising', other features besides the features prefaced by this term in each statement can also be present. Related terms such as 'comprise' and 'comprised' are to be interpreted in a similar manner.

[0037] It is intended that reference to a range of numbers disclosed herein (for example, 1 to 10) also incorporates reference to all rational numbers within that range (for example, 1, 1.1, 2, 3, 3.9, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 9 and 10) and also any range of rational numbers within that range (for example, 2 to 8, 1.5 to 5.5 and 3.1 to 4.7) and, therefore, all sub-ranges of all ranges expressly disclosed herein are hereby expressly disclosed. These are only examples of what is specifically intended and all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowest value and the highest value enumerated are to be considered to be expressly stated in this application in a similar manner.

[0038] To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. Where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

[0039] As used herein the term '(s)' following a noun means the plural and / or singular form of that noun.

[0040] As used herein the term 'and / or' means 'and' or 'or', or where the context allows both. The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples only.

[0041] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0043] Figure l is a schematic plan view of an aquaculture farm comprising a plurality of aquaculture systems.

[0044] Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a pair of aquaculture systems of figure 1.

[0045] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a backbone having three tubes.

[0046] Figure 4 is an end view of the backbone of figure 3.

[0047] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a backbone having four tubes.

[0048] Figure 6 is an end view of the backbone of figure 5.

[0049] Figure 7 shows detail of one embodiment of a control buoy.

[0050] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0051] With reference to figures 1 and 2, there is shown an aquaculture system 1 located in a water body.

[0052] The aquaculture system 1 is for use in an aquaculture farm. As such, the farm may have two or more of the aquaculture systems 1 described herein. The systems 1 may be arranged as shown in figure 1. That is, with a pair of aquaculture systems 1 aligned longitudinally, with further pairs of aquaculture systems 1 aligned in parallel. Other arrangements of aquaculture systems 1 may be used, depending on the shape or configuration of the water body in which the aquaculture system 1 is installed. It will be appreciated that in some situations, an aquaculture farm may comprise a single aquaculture system 1.

[0053] Figure 1 shows a conventional aquaculture farm having a backbone 14 and buoys located on the water surface next to an aquaculture farm having a plurality of aquaculture systems 1 of the present application.

[0054] Figure 2 shows the water body has a water surface 3 with a ground surface 5 below the water body. In the embodiment shown, the water body is the sea, and the ground surface 5 is the sea bed. Alternatively, the water body may be a natural water body such as a lake or ocean. Alternatively, the water body may be an artificial water body.

[0055] The system 1 has a surface buoy 10 floating on the water surface 3, a control buoy 12 floating below the water surface 3, and a backbone 14 floating below the water surface. The surface buoy 10 has a buoyancy, the control buoy 12 has a buoyancy, and the buoyant backbone 14 has a buoyancy, which will each be described in more detail below.

[0056] The system 1 also has a series of tension lines and pulleys. In particular, the system 1 has a surface buoy-control buoy pulley 16 anchored to the ground surface. The surface buoy-control buoy pulley 16 is a single sheave pulley. The system 1 has a surface buoycontrol buoy tension line 20 extending between the surface buoy 10 and the control buoy 12. Figure 2 shows the surface buoy-control buoy tension line 20 extending generally vertically between the surface buoy 10 and the control buoy 12. Figure 2 shows the surface buoy-control buoy tension line 20 extends, through the surface buoy-control buoy pulley 16, and the control buoy 12. The surface buoy-control buoy tension line 20 can extend through the control buoy 12 or be fixed to the bottom of the control buoy 12.

[0057] Figure 7 shows detail of one embodiment of a control buoy 12. The control buoy 12 has an upper spherical body 12a and a lower spherical body 12b. The spherical bodies 12a, 12b are joined by a linkage bar 12c, through which a tension line or lines freely travel and are secured at the top of the buoy system with a deck chain stopper for chains or in the case of rope they may be tied off or secured using various methods. The linkage bar 12c shown is a hollow tube assembly inserted in the middle hollow of the buoys. The two spherical buoys 12a, 12b are foam filled. Alternatively, either one or both spherical buoys 12a, 12b may be air filled. Further, the buoys may have other non-spherical shapes, such as cube shaped, pyramid shaped, hemi-spherical, and / or a combination of those shapes.

[0058] The system 1 has a control buoy-backbone pulley 18 anchored to the ground surface 5. The system 1 also has a control buoy-backbone tension line 22 extending between the control buoy 12 and the backbone 14. Figure 2 shows the control buoy-backbone tension line 22 extends, through the control buoy-backbone pulley 18. In the embodiment shown, the system 1 has two control buoy-backbone tension lines 22 and 24, each extending between the control buoy 12 and the backbone 14 and through the control buoy-backbone pulley 18. Accordingly, the control buoy-backbone pulley 18 is a double sheave pulley. It will be appreciated that the system may have one, two, or more control buoy-backbone tension lines, with appropriate pulleys and connections between other components.

[0059] The buoyancy of the surface buoy 10 is greater than the buoyancy of the control buoy 12 minus the buoyancy of the backbone 14 such that the control buoy 12 floats in the water body below the water surface 3 and the backbone 14 floats in the water body below the water surface 3. The buoyancy of the control buoy 12 is greater than the buoyancy of the backbone 14. The surface buoy 10, control buoy 12, and backbone 14 are arranged such that as the water surface 3 together with the surface buoy 10 rises away from the ground surface 5, the surface buoy 10 pulls on the surface buoy-control buoy tension line 20 causing the control buoy 12 to move towards the ground surface 5, while simultaneously the backbone 14 pulls on the control buoy-backbone tension lines 22 and 24 such that the control buoy 12 moving towards the ground surface 5 and allows the backbone 14 to rise away from the ground surface 5.

[0060] The opposite movement occurs when the water surface 3 falls towards the ground surface 5. That is, as the water surface 3 together with the surface buoy 10 falls towards the ground surface 5, the surface buoy 10 continues to pull on the surface buoy-control buoy tension line 16 but the tension reduces, allowing the control buoy 12 to move away from the ground surface 5, while simultaneously the backbone 14 continues to pull on the control buoy-backbone tension lines 22 and 24 such that the control buoy 12 moving away from the ground surface 5 allows the backbone 14 to fall towards from the ground surface 5.

[0061] The movements described above maintain the backbone 14 at a substantially constant depth below the water surface regardless of the depth of the water.

[0062] In one configuration, the buoyancy of the surface buoy 10 is adjustable. The surface buoy 10 has a fitting to receive gas, such as compressed air, to increase the buoyancy, when required. The surface buoy 10 also has an inlet with a valve to receive water to decrease the buoyancy, when required. In an alternative configuration, the buoyancy of the surface buoy 10 may be fixed.

[0063] In one configuration, buoyancy of the control buoy 12 is adjustable. The control buoy 12 has a fitting to receive gas, such as compressed air, to increase the buoyancy, when required. The control buoy 12 also has an inlet with a valve to receive water to decrease the buoyancy, when required. In an alternative configuration, the buoyancy of the control buoy 12 may be fixed.

[0064] As shown in figure 2, the surface buoy-control buoy tension line 20 and the control buoybackbone tension lines 22 and 24 are a single line. However, it will be appreciated that the surface buoy-control buoy tension line 20 and the control buoy-backbone tension lines 22 and 24 are separate lines. Figure 2 also shows the system 1 has an additional control buoy-backbone tension line 24. In alternative configurations, the system 1 may have two or more additional control buoy-backbone tension lines. For example, the system may have three, four or five additional control buoy-backbone tension lines.

[0065] Each control buoy-backbone tension line diverges into two or more backbone attachment lines that are attached to the backbone. The control buoy-backbone tension lines 22 and 24 extends generally vertically from the pulley towards the backbone 14. The backbone attachment lines diverge at the same or similar angles from vertical towards the backbone 14, with one line diverging towards one end of the backbone and the other line diverging towards the other end of the backbone 14.

[0066] Each pulley is attached to the ground surface 5 by an anchor 30. Figure 2 shows each anchor 30 is a screw anchor. In an alternative embodiment, the anchor is or comprises a concrete block.

[0067] In situations in which the seabed is flat or evenly sloped, each pulley is located about lm above the ground surface 5.

[0068] In an alternative embodiment, the ground surface 5 is sloped and / or uneven, and the positioning of each pulley is adjusted in accordance with the variations in the ground surface. For example, 2m, 3m or more above the ground surface 5.

[0069] In one example, having a 33 metre backbone: the surface buoy is 4.2 tonne, the control buoy is 6.2 tonne, and the backbone is 4.2 tonne without mussel seed on (~0.3 tonne buoyed weight and fully grown harvest size mussels ~2 tonne buoyed weight). At surface on the boat deck the buoyed weights of the mussels would be air weights and much greater.

[0070] In another example, for a longer submerged backbone, as in the drawing Figure 2, buoyancy would be greater (depending on the backbone length) then the above tonnages but the surface buoy and control buoy could lower their buoyant force and thus size by mechanical advantage. A block and tackle or purchase system is a form of mechanical advantage, where the input force is multiplied through a series of pulleys or blocks to create a much larger output force.

[0071] In another example, the buoyancy of surface buoy 10 may be about 4 tonne. The buoyancy of the control buoy 12 may be about 5 tonne. The buoyancy of the backbone 14 may be about 4 tonne. The buoyancy of each buoy and the backbone will be chosen depending on the length of the backbone and expected weight of the shellfish that grows in the system 1.

[0072] In the configuration shown, the backbone 14 comprises two buoyant tubes 26. In particular, the backbone 14 comprises two hollow cylindrical tubes 26. The tubes 26 are positioned to extend parallel to each other and are connected with couplings or could be connected directly to each other. The couplings may provide suitable locations for attaching the control buoy-backbone tension lines 22 and 24.

[0073] In an alternative configuration, the backbone may comprise a single tube. In another alternative configuration, the backbone may comprise more than two tubes, for example three or four tubes.

[0074] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment backbone having three tubes 26 and figure 4 is an end view of the backbone of figure 3. The upper tube of figure 3 has a larger diameter than the other two tubes. Alternatively, all tubes 26 may have the same diameter or the upper tube may have a smaller diameter. Figure 3 shows a plurality of diaphragms 27 spaced along the length of the back bone. Each of the diaphragms 27 are substantially triangular. Each of the diaphragms 27 have apertures for receiving the tubes 26 to align the tubes in a parallel fashion. The diaphragms 27 are positioned at each end as well along the length of the tubes 26. Figure 3 shows two diaphragms 27 located relatively close to each other. Those two diaphragms 27 are located on either side of a bridle location.

[0075] Figure 4 shows an embodiment for attaching a control line to the tubes 26. The control line is attached to the two lower tubes 26 via a bridle 28.

[0076] Figure 5 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment backbone having four tubes 26 and figure 6 is an end view of the backbone of figure 5.

[0077] The upper tube of figure 5 has a larger diameter than the other three tubes. Alternatively, all tubes may have the same diameter, or the upper tube may have a smaller diameter. Figure 5 shows a plurality of diaphragms spaced along the length of the backbone, which have similar features and functions to those shown and described in relation to figures 3 and 4 except there is an additional aperture for the additional tube.

[0078] The buoyancy of the backbone may be adjusted over time to account for growth of the shellfish that is growing on the aquaculture system 1. For example, the tube 26 may have an inner tube. Either the tube or the inner tube may be partially or completely filled with water. Figures 3 and 5 show the tubes have inlet / outlet ports 29 for adding water, removing water, adding air, or removing air, as required. As the weight of the shellfish increases, water can be replaced with air in the tube or inner tube to increase the buoyancy of the backbone. Additionally or alternatively, either the tube or inner tube may comprise a foam material.

[0079] In an alternative configuration, the backbone may comprise a foam material.

[0080] Figure 1 shows the surface buoy 10 is located near one end of the backbone 14 and spaced away from the end of the backbone 14 in a longitudinal direction of the system 1. Figure 1 also shows the control buoy 12 is located between the surface buoy 10 and the backbone 14 in a longitudinal direction of the system 1. The control buoy 12 is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the backbone 14. In an alternative embodiment, the control buoy may be offset from a longitudinal direction of the backbone. The surface buoy 10 is also generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the backbone 14. In an alternative embodiment, the surface buoy may be offset from a longitudinal direction of the backbone.

[0081] Figure 2 shows the surface buoy-control buoy pulley 16 is anchored to the ground 5 at or near the same location of the surface buoy 10 in a longitudinal axis of the backbone 14. In an alternative embodiment, the surface buoy-control buoy pulley may be offset from a longitudinal direction of the backbone.

[0082] Figure 2 shows the backbone 14 is submerged between about 2m and about 4m below the water surface 3. Maintaining a constant depth of an aquaculture system allows control the growth of invasive species, which typically grow in the first few metres under the sea level, which in turn increases the yield from the system. In other configurations, the backbone 14 may be submerged between about lm and about 10m below the water surface 3. For example, the backbone 14 may be submerged between about lm, about 3m, about 5m, about 6m, about 7m, about 8m, about 9m or about 10m below the water surface.

[0083] Figure 2 shows the surface buoy 10, the control buoy 12, the surface buoy-control buoy pulley 16, the surface buoy-control buoy tension line 20, the control buoy-backbone pulley 18, and the control buoy-backbone tension lines 22 and 24 form a first buoyancy control sub-assembly at one end of the backbone 14.

[0084] Figure 2 also shows the aquaculture system 1 further comprises second buoyancy control sub-assembly at the other end of the backbone 14, the second buoyancy control sub- assembly having a surface buoy 110, a control buoy 112, a surface buoy-control buoy pulley 116, a surface buoy-control buoy tension line 120, a control buoy-backbone pulley 118, and a control buoy-backbone tension line 122 and 124.

[0085] In an alternative configuration, the aquaculture system 1 may have only one subassembly at one end of the backbone 14. For example, if the backbone 14 is about 40m or shorter, one sub-assembly will control the depth of the backbone without needing a second sub-assembly at the other end of the backbone.

[0086] The system 1 has a plurality of culture ropes suspended from the backbone. The culture ropes may be any conventional culture ropes that are suitable for growing mussels and / or other shellfish. The system may be used for growing shellfish such as clams, oyster, scallops. In an alternative embodiment, rather than culture ropes, the system may have nets or socks or other receptacles containing fin fish. In a further alternative embodiment, the system may have substrates or receptacles suitable for growing aquatic plants, such as seaweed.

[0087] When the system is first installed, the system will have a plurality of mussel spat or mussel seed on the culture ropes. Over time, as the mussel spat grow and become seed size, the system will have a plurality of mussels on the culture ropes. In some situations, the system will be used at spat marine farms at which the spat are grown in stages to seed size, which are usually 45 to 55 mm long, ready for seeding on growout marine farms to harvest size mussels. In yet other situations, the system may be used by starting with seed size mussels that are grown to harvest size mussels.

[0088] It will be understood that the buoyancy of the control buoy is counteracted by the buoyancy of the backbone, requiring only a small reaction from the surface buoy to keep the backbone submerged. This is during installation only. As the mussel crop matures it will add weight to the system, increasing the buoyant force needed via the control buoy to the surface buoy, requiring a larger reaction from the surface buoy. The submerged harvest weight, along with the submerged weight of the culture ropes with marine growth, would be added automatically to the surface buoy buoyant force over time.

[0089] Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described by way of example only and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An aquaculture system located in a water body, the water body having a water surface, with a ground surface below the water body, the system comprising: a surface buoy floating on the water surface, the surface buoy having a buoyancy; a control buoy having a buoyancy; a buoyant backbone having a buoyancy; a surface buoy-control buoy pulley anchored to the ground; a surface buoy-control buoy tension line extending between the surface buoy, through the surface buoy-control buoy pulley, and the control buoy, a control buoy-backbone pulley anchored to the ground; a control buoy-backbone tension line extending between the control buoy, through the control buoy-backbone pulley and the backbone; the buoyancy of the surface buoy being greater than the buoyancy of the control buoy minus the buoyancy of the backbone, such that the control buoy floats in the water body below the water surface and the backbone floats in the water body below the water surface; wherein the surface buoy, control buoy, and backbone are arranged such that as the water surface together with the surface buoy rises away from the ground surface, the surface buoy pulls on the surface buoy-control buoy tension line causing the control buoy to move towards the ground surface, while simultaneously the backbone pulls on the control buoy-backbone tension line such that the control buoy moving towards the ground surface allows the backbone to rise away from the ground surface.

2. The aquaculture system according to claim 1, wherein the buoyancy of the surface buoy is adjustable.

3. The aquaculture system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the buoyancy of the control buoy is adjustable.

4. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface buoy-control buoy tension line and the control buoy-backbone tension line are a single line.

5. The aquaculture system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the surface buoy-control buoy tension line and the control buoy-backbone tension line are separate lines.

6. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an additional control buoy-backbone tension line.

7. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising two or more additional control buoy-backbone tension lines.

8. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each control buoy-backbone tension line diverges into two or more lines that are attached to the backbone.

9. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each pulley is attached to the ground surface by an anchor.

10. The aquaculture system according to claim 9, wherein the anchor is or comprises a screw anchor or a concrete block anchor.

11. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the buoyancy of surface buoy is about 4.2 tonne.

12. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the buoyancy of the control buoy is about 6.2 tonne.

13. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the buoyancy of the backbone is about 4.2 tonne.

14. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the backbone comprises a buoyant tube or multiple buoyant tubes.

15. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each pulley is located about lm, 2m , 3m or more above the ground surface.

16. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface buoy is located near one end of the backbone and spaced away from the end of the backbone in a longitudinal direction of the system.

17. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control buoy is located between the surface buoy and the backbone in a longitudinal direction of the system.

18. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control buoy is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the backbone or offset from the longitudinal axis of the backbone.

19. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface buoy is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the backbone or offset from the longitudinal axis of the backbone.

20. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface buoy-control buoy pulley is anchored to the ground at or near the same location of the surface buoy in a longitudinal axis of the backbone or offset from the longitudinal axis of the backbone.

21. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the backbone is submerged between about lm and about 10m below the water surface.

22. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the backbone is submerged between about 2m and about 4m below the water surface.

23. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface buoy, the control buoy, the surface buoy-control buoy pulley, the surface buoycontrol buoy tension line, the control buoy-backbone pulley, and the control buoybackbone tension line form a first buoyancy control sub-assembly at one end of the backbone and the aquaculture system further comprises second buoyancy control subassembly at the other end of the backbone, the second buoyancy control sub-assembly having a surface buoy, a control buoy, a surface buoy-control buoy pulley, a surface buoy-control buoy tension line, a control buoy-backbone pulley, and a control buoybackbone tension line.

24. The aquaculture system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality of culture ropes suspended from the backbone.

25. The aquaculture system according to claim 24, further comprising a plurality of mussel spat or mussel seed on the culture ropes.

26. The aquaculture system according to claim 24, further comprising a plurality of mussels on the culture ropes.

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