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Copper-alloy pens installed at fish farm
Alberni Valley Times
Wed Mar 6 2013
Source: Alberni Valley Times
Mainstream Canada, which has a hatchery in Port Alberni, has installed two copper-alloy net pens on the West
Coast, a first in North America.
The two pens have been installed at a the company's Plover Point salmon farm as part of a research trial. The site
has 12 pens, two of which will be the copper-alloy net pens. They will be stocked with 105,000 Atlantic salmon.
It is believed that copper-alloy net pens protect farmed fish and act as an effective, passive deterrent to predators
such as seals and sea lions. Copper-alloy net pens stay naturally clean while maintaining maximum water
exchange.
This is the first copper net pen installation in North America. The pens were developed by the International Copper
Association and EcoSea, a Chilean developer of copper-alloy aquaculture systems.
Two of the 12 net pens at Plover Point farm, which is located on Vancouver Island's West Coast north of Tofino, are
made out of the copper alloy, which stays naturally clean and provides a solid deterrent to predators.
Each pen has been stocked with 52,500 Atlantic salmon. The pens measure 30x30x11 metres, are constructed
from 13 tonnes of copper-alloy mesh, and have a growing volume of 10,000 cubic metres.
The installation, which took place in December 2012, was completely conducted in water. Traditionally, installations
start on the beach.
Langley Gace, aquaculture applications development manager for the ICA, said the pens should help with some of
the challenges fish farms face on the West Coast.
"Marine mammals present a challenge to fish farms in British Columbia," she said. "It can be very costly for farmers
to keep fish safe and healthy. Copper-alloy mesh will not only protect the fish stock but also protect seals and sea
lions."
Brock Thomson, Mainstream Canada's projects manager, said they are eager to see how the study evolves.
Incredible that farms could be installing these on a larger scale to "protect" their precious ATLANTIC salmon as the native pretatory mammals are disruptive to the business. Why not just remove the fish from the water and be done with it????
Alberni Valley Times
Wed Mar 6 2013
Source: Alberni Valley Times
Mainstream Canada, which has a hatchery in Port Alberni, has installed two copper-alloy net pens on the West
Coast, a first in North America.
The two pens have been installed at a the company's Plover Point salmon farm as part of a research trial. The site
has 12 pens, two of which will be the copper-alloy net pens. They will be stocked with 105,000 Atlantic salmon.
It is believed that copper-alloy net pens protect farmed fish and act as an effective, passive deterrent to predators
such as seals and sea lions. Copper-alloy net pens stay naturally clean while maintaining maximum water
exchange.
This is the first copper net pen installation in North America. The pens were developed by the International Copper
Association and EcoSea, a Chilean developer of copper-alloy aquaculture systems.
Two of the 12 net pens at Plover Point farm, which is located on Vancouver Island's West Coast north of Tofino, are
made out of the copper alloy, which stays naturally clean and provides a solid deterrent to predators.
Each pen has been stocked with 52,500 Atlantic salmon. The pens measure 30x30x11 metres, are constructed
from 13 tonnes of copper-alloy mesh, and have a growing volume of 10,000 cubic metres.
The installation, which took place in December 2012, was completely conducted in water. Traditionally, installations
start on the beach.
Langley Gace, aquaculture applications development manager for the ICA, said the pens should help with some of
the challenges fish farms face on the West Coast.
"Marine mammals present a challenge to fish farms in British Columbia," she said. "It can be very costly for farmers
to keep fish safe and healthy. Copper-alloy mesh will not only protect the fish stock but also protect seals and sea
lions."
Brock Thomson, Mainstream Canada's projects manager, said they are eager to see how the study evolves.
Incredible that farms could be installing these on a larger scale to "protect" their precious ATLANTIC salmon as the native pretatory mammals are disruptive to the business. Why not just remove the fish from the water and be done with it????
