Kelp farming equipment

Abstract

To prevent strong forces from acting on the anchor blocks, and to enable the construction of aquaculture facilities without the need for anchor blocks. [Solution] The aquaculture equipment 10 comprises a horizontal member 11 that floats on or near the surface of the sea, a vertical member 20 that supports one end of the horizontal member 11, and a plurality of growing materials 15 for growing kelp 12. The vertical member 20 comprises a vertical member body 21 made of resin pipe material and a weight 23 at the lower end of the vertical member body, while a buoyant material 25 located at the upper end of the vertical member body when placed in the sea. The balance between the weight of the weight 23 and the buoyancy of the buoyant material 25 causes the vertical member to stand upright in the sea and positions the upper end of the vertical member on or near the surface of the sea (Claim 1). Since the vertical member 23 floats upright, no strong tensile force acts on the anchor block. Furthermore, in deep water, the aquaculture equipment can be constructed without using an anchor block.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to equipment technology for cultivating kelp. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Cultivated kelp is softer than natural kelp and can produce high-quality soup stock comparable to natural kelp, so it is highly popular in the market. 【0003】 FIG. 7 shows an example of a cultivation facility for producing cultivated kelp. This cultivation facility 1 includes a horizontal member 3 disposed in the sea 2, a vertical member 4 supporting the ends of the horizontal member 3, and a plurality of growth members 6 for growing cultivated kelp K, and each upper end of the growth member 6 is fixed to the horizontal member 3. Reference numeral S is the sea surface. 【0004】 Normally, the horizontal member 3, the vertical member 4, and the growth member 6 use ropes. 【0005】 Conventionally, as the technology of such a cultivation facility, the following Patent Document 1 has been proposed. 【0006】 Since it is a facility for cultivating kelp, the horizontal member 3 is positioned in the sea 2 at the sea surface S or slightly below the sea surface S. The horizontal member 3 is long, for example, having a length of 100 to 200 m, and floating balls (not shown) are often arranged at appropriate positions to maintain the horizontal posture of the horizontal member 3. 【0007】 As shown in FIG. 8, the ropes of the vertical member 4 supporting both ends of the horizontal member 3 fix their lower ends to, for example, a heavy anchor block 5. The vertical member 4 is supported by, for example, two ropes in an inverted V shape. This is to stabilize the horizontal member 3 by suppressing the movement of the vertical member 4 due to the ocean current. At an appropriate position (for example, the upper surface) of the anchor block 5, a member for binding / engaging the rope serving as the vertical member 4, such as an engaging hook (not shown), etc. is arranged, and the rope serving as the vertical member 4 is attached via the engaging hook or the like. 【0008】 In the usual case, the cultivation material 6 arranges kelp seedlings at appropriate intervals in the vertical direction. Alternatively, means (e.g., porous fibrous material, net material, etc.) for capturing kelp seedlings (zoospores; male gametophytes / female gametophytes) in the sea are provided. 【0009】 Furthermore, the upper end of the growing material 6 can be pre-tied (bound) and secured to the rope, which is the horizontal member 3. 【0010】 Cultivated kelp K reaches harvest time in about two years. At harvest time, a boat is launched early in the morning to remove the horizontal members 3 that are tied to the vertical members 4, and the horizontal members 3 are collected. 【0011】 This allows for the recovery of the cultivation material 6 connected to the horizontal member 3, and the cultivated kelp K attached to the cultivation material 6. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents] 【0012】 [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-110612 [Disclosure of the Invention] [Problems that the invention aims to solve] 【0013】 The problem lies in the fact that if appropriate measures are not taken to protect cultivated kelp K when the sea becomes rough due to typhoons or tsunamis, the growth of cultivated kelp K will suffer significant damage. This is as follows: 【0014】 Firstly, if the flow of seawater becomes intense due to a typhoon or tsunami, and strong water pressure is applied to the entire cultivated kelp K, tensile forces will act on the horizontal members 3 and vertical members 4, which may cause the anchor block 5 supporting the lower end of the vertical member 4 to tip over (overturn). 【0015】 Therefore, when the sea is rough (stormy), the horizontal beam 3 is lowered to a deeper part of the sea as soon as possible to protect the cultivated kelp K. 【0016】 However, there are times when it is not possible to take appropriate measures, such as sudden changes in weather or the occurrence of unforeseen tsunamis. Since anchor block 5 is very heavy, it will not tip over in moderate storms or tsunamis, making it difficult to decide whether or not to lower the horizontal member 3 into the deep sea. However, a delay in making this decision can lead to significant damage. 【0017】 Furthermore, conventional aquaculture facilities relied on the weight of anchor blocks to support the vertical members. Therefore, even in large areas of sea suitable for kelp cultivation, installation of anchor blocks became difficult in deep waters, leading to high construction costs and hindering the easy installation of aquaculture facilities. 【0018】 Therefore, the objectives of the present invention are to prevent strong forces from acting on members that support the lower end of vertical members, such as anchor blocks, during rough weather or storms, and to enable the construction of aquaculture facilities without using anchor blocks. [Means for solving the problem] 【0019】 To achieve the above objective, the kelp cultivation equipment according to the present invention is based on the technical premise of a kelp cultivation equipment comprising a horizontal member that floats on or near the surface of the sea, a vertical member that supports one end of the horizontal member, and a plurality of growing materials for growing kelp, wherein the upper end of each of the growing materials is fixed to the horizontal member. The vertical member comprises a vertical member body made of resin pipe material and a weight at the lower end of the vertical member body, while a buoyant material located at the upper end of the vertical member body when placed in the sea, and the balance between the weight of the weight and the buoyancy of the buoyant material causes the vertical member to stand substantially upright in the sea, and the upper end of the vertical member to be located on or near the surface of the sea (Claim 1). 【0020】 The vertical member according to the present invention maintains a nearly upright posture in the sea by a weight placed at its lower end, and positions the upper end of the vertical member at or near the sea surface via a buoyant located at its upper end in the sea. 【0021】 According to such a configuration, even when the sea is rough, the vertical member always floats while maintaining its upright position. Therefore, when the lower end of the vertical member is supported via an anchor block, no tensile force acts on the anchor block. 【0022】 Also, in a deep water area, the aquaculture facility can be installed without using an anchor block. Since the vertical member stands upright and floats, it can be supported via appropriate support means (mooring materials) such as a horizontal rope so that the vertical member does not flow out. 【0023】 And since no strong force acts on the support member, the vertical member can be easily moved horizontally. Therefore, when the sea is rough or there is a tsunami, etc., by moving the vertical member horizontally, the entire cross member can be evacuated to a safe place (a place where the cultivated kelp is not damaged). 【0024】 In some cases, an insertion member for inserting a rope material or a rod-shaped material may be provided at an appropriate location of the vertical member body (Claim 2). 【0025】 Since the vertical member according to the present invention stands upright and floats, if a rope material or a rod-shaped material is inserted into the insertion member, when moving a plurality of adjacent cross members horizontally, the rope material or the rod-shaped material becomes a guide member, and the vertical member, the cross member, and the growing member (that is, the entire aquaculture facility) can be moved to a safe place (a place where the cultivated kelp is not damaged) quickly and with simple operations. 【0026】 Since it is possible to install a kelp aquaculture facility at a low cost even in a deep water area, the area of the place (sea area) that can be used as an aquaculture farm is expanded, and the yield of kelp can be increased. 【Effect of the Invention】 【0027】 According to the kelp aquaculture facility of the present invention, it is possible to prevent a strong force from acting on a member that supports the lower end of the vertical member, such as an anchor block, etc., during stormy weather or rough seas. Even when the sea is rough, damage to the aquaculture facility is less likely to occur, and damage to the kelp can also be prevented. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0028】 [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing the vertical members of the aquaculture equipment according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a view along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a view taken along the line BB in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This figure shows a first embodiment of aquaculture equipment using vertical members as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This figure shows a second embodiment of the aquaculture equipment using vertical members as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing a case in which cover materials are provided on the top and bottom of the vertical member according to the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a side view of a conventional kelp cultivation apparatus. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view illustrating the support structure of conventional kelp cultivation equipment. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0029】 Figure 4 shows a first embodiment illustrating the overall configuration of the kelp cultivation facility according to the present invention. 【0030】 This kelp cultivation facility 10, as in conventional facilities, comprises a horizontal member 11 that floats on or near the surface of the sea (slightly below the surface), a vertical member 20 that supports one end of the horizontal member 11, and a plurality of growing materials 15 for growing kelp 12, with the upper ends of each of the growing materials 15 fixed to the horizontal member 11. 【0031】 This first embodiment shows a case in which a kelp cultivation facility 10 is installed in a shallow area. 30 is the seabed, 31 is an anchor block placed on the seabed 30, and 32 is a means (e.g., a rope) for connecting an appropriate point on the vertical member 20, for example, the lower end, to the anchor block 31. 【0032】 18 is an engaging member that detachably engages the end of the horizontal member 11 with the upper end (sea level) or near the upper end (slightly below sea level) of the vertical member 20. This engaging member 18 may be a ring-shaped member or a rope. 【0033】 19 is an attachment member that detachably engages the upper end of the cultivation material 15 with the horizontal member 11. The attachment member can be, for example, a rope or an annular member. The cultivation material 15 can be made of a rope as in the conventional method, or of an appropriate material such as an easily attachable seat belt. The cultivation material 15 may have kelp seedlings attached to it in advance, or it may be left without seedlings attached and wait for the seeds to attach in the seawater. 【0034】 The horizontal member 11 may be made of rope. In that case, it is desirable to engage both ends of the horizontal member 11 with the vertical member 20 to stabilize it. 【0035】 It is also acceptable to have a structure in which one end of the horizontal member 11 is not moored to the vertical member 20. This is because the horizontal member 11 can move freely around the engaging part of the vertical member 20 as the axis of rotation, depending on the tidal current and wind direction. In this case, in order to prevent entanglement between adjacent horizontal members 11, it is desirable to insert a rope material through a cylindrical float material (not shown), and cover the surface with the float material almost without gaps from one end to the other, so that the whole thing is in a so-called rod shape and the deflection at the sea surface is minimized. 【0036】 The horizontal members 11 are long members of 50 meters or more. For example, horizontal members 11 of appropriate lengths such as 80 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters, 400 meters, 500 meters, etc., are used depending on the installation location of the aquaculture facility. In any case, since multiple horizontal members 11 are often placed adjacent to each other, it is desirable to reliably prevent the horizontal members 11 from becoming entangled with each other. 【0037】 Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the vertical member 20. 【0038】 The overall structure consists of a vertical member body 21 made of resin pipe material, and a float 25 which is attached to the upper end of the vertical member body 21 and has a weight 23 (weight / balancer) at the lower end of the vertical member body 21 when placed in the sea. 【0039】 The balance between the weight of the counterweight 23 and the buoyancy of the float 25 causes the vertical member 20 to stand almost upright in the sea, while positioning the upper end of the vertical member 20 (vertical member body 21) at or near the sea surface (slightly below the sea surface). 【0040】 The reason for using resin pipe material as the vertical member body 21 is that it is readily available and has a low specific gravity (for example, 1.4 g / cm³ for PVC pipes), making it easy to handle during installation work. Specifically, a suitable material for the vertical member body 21 is, for example, a resin drain pipe. Resin drain pipes are inexpensive, and there are plenty of fittings and other accessories available. 【0041】 When installing in shallow water, the vertical dimension of the vertical members 20 can be relatively short, for example, 3 to 5 meters. This is because the vertical members 20 float upright in the sea, so there is no need to set the vertical dimension excessively large. 【0042】 In deeper waters, it is advisable to set the length slightly longer, for example, 5 to 10 meters, as needed. This is to maintain the upright posture of the vertical members 20, as they may be subjected to large wave swells. While lengths of 10 meters or more, such as 15 meters, are also acceptable, excessive length can lead to inconveniences such as cumbersome installation work. 【0043】 If the vertical dimension of the vertical members 20 is excessively short (for example, less than 3 meters), it becomes difficult to maintain balance. The horizontal members 11 are 50 meters or longer, and the weight of the kelp 12 growing on the cultivation material 15 may be applied to the vertical members 20 due to tidal currents, etc. Therefore, it is desirable to ensure a certain vertical dimension to stabilize the balance of the vertical members 20. 【0044】 The inner diameter of the vertical member body 21 should be appropriately selected according to the external dimensions of the weight 23 and the float material 25. The external dimensions and size of the weight 23 and the float material 25 increase in proportion to the length of the vertical member 20, so in most cases, the longer the vertical member 20, the larger the inner diameter will be. For example, in shallow water, an inner diameter of about 10 cm may suffice, but in deep water, an inner diameter of 10 cm or more may be required, such as 15 cm, 20 cm, 25 cm, or even larger (for example, an inner diameter of 30 cm). 【0045】 The inner diameter of the vertical member body 21 becomes an issue when the entire weight 23 is placed inside the vertical member body 21, as illustrated in Figure 1. If part or all of the weight 23 is placed outside the vertical member body 21, the inner diameter of the vertical member body 21 can be set to be relatively small. 【0046】 It is preferable to place the buoyancy material 25 inside the hollow vertical member body 21. This is to prevent damage to the buoyancy material 25 from collisions with driftwood and debris floating on the sea surface. Since the buoyancy material 25 can provide significant buoyancy even if it is compact in size, it is possible to house the buoyancy material 25 inside the vertical member body 21 under normal operating conditions. If the buoyancy material 25 is sturdy, all or part of it may be placed outside the vertical member body 21. 【0047】 The weight 23 can be made of any suitable material, such as stone or metal. To prevent the weight 23 from falling off, a suitable means can be used as a lower support material, for example, as shown in Figure 3, by arranging multiple metal rods 26 and securing them to the lower end of the vertical member body 21. Other lower support materials may also be used, for example, metal plates or metal / resin lids 26-3 (see Figure 6). When all or part of the weight 23 is placed on the outside, it can be secured by placing it on a surface or by hanging it via a fixing member such as a flange placed at the lower end of the vertical member 20. 【0048】 The weight of the weight 23 should be sufficient to keep the vertical members 20 upright in the sea. For example, it should be set to a weight of 1 kg, 1.5 kg, 2 kg, 2.5 kg, 3 kg, or more (4 kg, 5 kg, etc.) in the sea. 【0049】 In the ocean, depending on the salinity, buoyancy from the seawater is at play. Due to the buoyancy of seawater, the weight of the weight 23 measured on land is reduced to approximately 1 / 6 to 1 / 7 of that weight in the ocean. 【0050】 Therefore, to obtain a weight of 2 kg in the sea, the weight of the weight 23 measured on land will be 6 to 7 times that amount, or 12 to 14 kg. Since the buoyancy of seawater acts regardless of the shape of the weight 23, it is preferable that the weight 23 adopts a shape that is easy to handle on land or on a ship. For example, a single block of material may be used for light weights, but multiple weights 23 may be used when a large weight is required. 【0051】 The buoyancy material 25 can be a well-known float product used in ports, etc., or an empty plastic bottle. To prevent the buoyancy material 25 from flowing out, appropriate means can be used as an upper support material, for example, a metal rod 26 as shown in Figure 2, and the metal rod 26 can be secured to the upper end (or near the upper end) of the vertical member body 21. Other upper support materials may also be used, for example, a metal plate or a metal / resin cover material 26-2 (see Figure 6). When using the cover material 26-2, a mesh material or grid material may be used on part or all of the horizontal surface. 【0052】 In the ocean, a buoyant force acts on the floating material 25, depending on its volume and the concentration (fluid density) of the seawater (principle of buoyancy). Assuming that a weight 23 weighing 2 kg is used in the ocean and an empty plastic bottle is used as the floating material 25, for example, a container with a volume of 1 to 2 liters can be made to float the upper end of the vertical member 20 on or near the surface of the sea. 【0053】 Since the buoyancy balance in the sea varies depending on natural conditions such as changes in salinity due to tidal currents and vertical movement of tidal currents, it is desirable to confirm and adjust the volume, shape, etc. of the buoyancy material 25 through experimentation, according to various conditions including the natural conditions of the installation site of the kelp cultivation facility 10 (weight of the vertical member body 21, discharge volume, size of the weight 23, underwater weight, etc.). 【0054】 With this configuration, the vertical members 20 stand upright and maintain balance so that their upper ends float at or slightly below sea level. Therefore, one end of the horizontal members 11 can be moored without applying strong tensile force to the anchor blocks 31 that support the vertical members 20. 【0055】 Since the anchor block 31 is not subjected to large tensile forces, it can be made smaller and lighter than conventional anchor blocks 31 while still functioning adequately as an aquaculture facility. As a result, the installation of the aquaculture facility becomes easier, and installation costs can be significantly reduced. 【0056】 Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the kelp cultivation equipment according to the present invention. This shows the case where the cultivation equipment 40 is installed in a deep area of ​​the sea, for example, in a sea area with a depth of 20 to 40 meters. 【0057】 In this case as well, the overall configuration can be the same as in Figures 1 to 3. Therefore, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. The configuration of the vertical members 20 is also almost the same. 【0058】 The aquaculture equipment 40 according to this embodiment shows a case in which multiple aquaculture equipment 40 (vertical members + horizontal members + growing material) are installed adjacent to each other in a deep aquaculture farm by floating the vertical members 20 on or near the sea surface (slightly below) without using anchor blocks. 【0059】 In areas with deep water, the vertical members 20 float in the water, with their lower ends positioned away from the seabed. In this case, to prevent the aquaculture equipment 40 (vertical members + horizontal members + cultivation material) from drifting or being lost, the following configuration is adopted, for example. 【0060】 First, a ring-shaped insertion member 35 is placed at the lower end of the vertical member 20, and a rope 36 is inserted through this insertion member 35 to prevent the vertical member 20 from separating via the rope 36. 【0061】 The insertion member 35 can be any shape that allows the rope 36 to pass through it; for example, a circular ring, a non-circular ring, a short tube, etc., can be used. 【0062】 Then, by tying a rope 36 to each of the insertion members 35 of the multiple vertical members 20, the vertical members 20 can maintain a certain distance from each other, and when the multiple vertical members 20 are placed in the sea, both ends of the rope 36 can be moored to appropriate fixing points. 【0063】 To secure (attach) the rope 36 to the insertion member 35, various means can be used, such as connecting with appropriate connecting fittings or tying with a short piece of string. In Figure 5, the part indicated by the symbol G is the attachment point between the insertion member 35 and the rope 36. 【0064】 To secure both ends of the rope 36, for example, one end closer to the shore can be fixed to a caisson (a concrete structure such as a breakwater) of port facilities, and the other end further offshore can be fixed to a rocky area. Preferably, fixing hardware (such as anchors) is used. 【0065】 If there are no rocky areas, reefs located in shallow areas not exposed to the sea surface can be used. If there are neither rocky areas nor reefs in shallow areas, for example, one end of an auxiliary rope (not shown) can be fixed to a concrete breakwater or concrete artificial reef, and a float (not shown) can be fixed to the other end, and the breakwater (or artificial reef) can be lowered into the sea, and the end of the rope 36 can be moored (fixed) via the auxiliary rope (not shown). In either case, since installation work by diving is not required, the installation cost of the aquaculture facility 40 can be kept low. 【0066】 In areas with greater water depth, the structure will be subjected to large wave swells, so it is desirable to use a large weight 23 placed at the lower end (or near the lower end) of the vertical member 20, for example, one that weighs about 3-5 kg ​​in water. Of course, it is also possible to use a larger weight 23 that weighs 6 kg, 7 kg, or 8 kg in water. 【0067】 Although the weight on land exceeds 20 kg, the work is easy even with such weights 23. By arranging the vertical members 20, each with a rope 36 inserted through a through member 35 and tied together, on land (near the coast), and pulling the end of the rope 36 on the offshore side (the end of the rope on the harbor side is fixed to a caisson, etc.), the vertical members 20 will be pulled into the sea one after another as the rope 36 moves, so the vertical members 20 can then be moved to the desired location. 【0068】 Attaching the horizontal member 11 via the engaging member 18 after the vertical member 20 has been installed improves work efficiency. 【0069】 The rope 36 can be made of a resin rope material such as nylon, which has excellent tensile strength. When aquaculture equipment 40 (vertical members + horizontal members + growth materials) is installed offshore, the length of the rope 36 may exceed 1 km, but the length of the rope 36 can be extended by using joints (connecting fittings), etc. 【0070】 With this configuration, multiple aquaculture facilities 40 (vertical members + horizontal members + growth material) can be placed adjacent to each other even in deep water. Since it does not involve expensive work such as underwater civil engineering, equipment costs and installation costs can be kept low. 【0071】 When the sea becomes rough due to typhoons or other storms, the aquaculture equipment 40 can be safely moved to a safe location with simple work by unfastening the rope 36 on the offshore side and pulling the rope 36 towards the harbor. Both the vertical members 20 and the horizontal members 11 float on the sea surface (or near the surface), so pulling them in does not require much force. The pulling operation can be done manually, but a winch (hoisting device) may be used if necessary. 【0072】 The material of the vertical members 20 is not limited to rigid resins such as rigid polyvinyl chloride; flexible resin pipes such as polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride may also be used. This is because seawater will enter (fill) the inside of the pipe, so there is no need to distinguish between rigid and flexible materials. 【0073】 It is preferable to use a single pipe without joints for the vertical members 20, as this improves workability. Of course, it is also acceptable to form them using joints. The horizontal cross-sectional shape of the vertical member body 21 is not limited to a circle or ellipse. It may also be a polygon such as a square or pentagon. When loading the weights (23) and floating members (25) into the vertical member body 21, the outer shape of the weights (23) and floating members (25) should match the inner shape of the vertical member body 21. [Explanation of Symbols] 【0074】 10, 40 Aquaculture equipment 11 Crosspiece 12 Kombu 15 Growth materials 18 Engaging member 19 Mounting components 20 vertical members 21 Vertical main body 23 Weight 25 Floating material 26 Metal bars 26-2 Lid material (upper support material) 26-3 Lid material (lower support material) 30 Seabed surface 31 Anchor Block 32 Means for connecting the vertical members and the anchor blocks 35 Insertion member 36 ropes G Binding part

Claims

[Claim 1] A horizontal member that floats on or near the surface of the sea, A vertical member supporting one end of the horizontal member, Equipped with multiple growing materials for growing kelp, In a kelp cultivation facility in which each upper end of the cultivation material is fixed to the horizontal member, The aforementioned vertical members are The vertical members are made of resin pipe material, A weight is attached to the lower end of the main body of the vertical member, It is equipped with a buoyancy material located at the upper end of the main body of the vertical member when placed in the sea, The balance between the weight of the counterweight and the buoyancy of the float material, The aforementioned vertical members are positioned almost vertically in the sea, A kelp cultivation facility characterized in that the upper end of the vertical member is positioned at or near the sea surface. [Claim 2] At appropriate points on the main vertical member, The kelp cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by comprising an insertion member for inserting rope material or rod-shaped material.

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