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International Council for theExploration of the Sea

C.M.1990/F: A qMariCulture Committee

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Smolts

Edward A. sIack1, eiair Rectfern2 sild Haraid Rosenthal3.

British Columbla Minlstry ofAgrlculture arid Fisl1erles, Victoria, Canada2 Royal Pacific SeafarrrlS Ud.; Vancouver, Canada3 Dep. FishEiry Biology, Institute for Marine SCiene9

UniverSity of Kiel2300 Kiel 1, Fad. Rap. Gerrnany

SummarY~

Recent improvements in transport of fish include the development of a system fortransporting fish inside. a helicopter. This safer and more· cost·effective method isdescribed.

Neuere methodische Verbesserungen zum Transport von Fischen für Besatzzweckeschließen auch die Entwicklung von Systemen ein, die innerhalb eines Hubschraubersuntergebracht werden können. Diese für den Lufttransport sichere iJrid kostengünstigeMethode wird beschrieben. .

Resume

Am~lioratioris .recentes dans ie transport de poisson incluent le developpment d'unsysteme pour transporter le poisson par heliceptere. Cette methode, securitaire et meinscoüteuse, est decrite.

introduction

Various metheds on fish, transportation have bEian described in .nie Iit,üäture, (Berka,1986). Most of the studies dealt with surface transportation (Amend et al, 1982;Carmichael, 1984), aimirig at minimizing environmental stress during handling (Orsiarid Short, 1987) arid transport (Bower and Turner, 1982; Fereira et al 1984). Fewstudies dealt with air trarisportation (Cuerrier, 1952). The needfor safer deliverY ofhigh qualitY salmon smolts to marine farm sites has 1E3d to improved fish transpOrtationon Camida's Pacific coast. In the past, for heliCöpter transportatiori, smelts have boanremoved from pond enclosures, änaesthetized arid loaded. inte a metal bucket containirigoxygenated water. The bucket was then atÜiched by a lang cable to a quick releasemechanism located under the helicopter. The fish were thon f10wn directly to the marinesltes where the bucket was deposited on acage walkway and tilted directly into the cage.

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New helicopter smolt transport3t1on system

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An undesirable aspect of thls. transport method is the rlsk to pilot, craft and cargo posedby having this heaVy biJcket öri the end öf ä lorl"g cäble slurig under thä helicopter. While:... ·"ans"'o..t cros·Aw·ln'ds ca'n st'a'r' .~~ bu'_I.;':. A"':__:__ ü~ ..;;. ...;... IIA"'I.. A~~:.: ....... II.•111" pI, .' ;:).. '. l lll... '. ~I\t:ll ;:)VY"'~IIlY . IIVUlIllU"QLI'1' ,.......... ""'.1<.."1'

,. during'landin'g; 'takeoff and low level f1ights' there is also the risk of the bucket catchingon power Iines, traes and other aviation hazards. A new helieopter smolt transportationsystem minimizing probability of the typeof accidents described abovelas weil asreducing transpörtion time and costs, has been devised to fit inside the~elicopter. Thisconsists of an irregularly shaped box approxirriätely .75. meter high, 1.•9 meters wide,and .75 meter deep (Figure1). On the inside bottorn of the box are aseries of air stoneswhich are fed by the rnanifold, visible along the änterior base of the box.

During loading, the transport box (Figure 2) isconnected via a long pipeto a loadirighopper (Figure 3). The pipe empties into the box through eith(3r of .two .20 crri squarehatches near the rear of the top of ttie box.. During transpOrtation both hatches. are fittedwith .sealing lids to prevent spillage of fish or water. Fish are brought t6. the hopper •already sorteeJ and counted and in containers which are then loaded one at a time until thebox is full. The method is similar to common techniques used to prepare fish for buckettransport (by helicopter); however, this particular approach allows control over thenumber of fish loaded and reduces the manual activity under the blades of the helicopter.This Iimited activity makes it possible to leave the helicopter's rotors spinning duringloading, eliminating the time required for the helicopter to 90 thröugh ä Power-down andwarm-up cycle during each loading and iJnloading. .

TWo 45 mm pipes serving as overflow Ports protrude trorn the upper portion of each sideof the bOx (Figure.1). Inside the box each of th(overflow portsis cönnected to a sectionof pipe which is dcsed at the distal end. Holes 12 rnrn in diameter häve been drilled in thepipe and then covered by a mesh with a maximum port size of 4 mm, .preventing loss cffish during loading (Figure 2) and at the same time allowing free diScharge cf excesswater. Preparation of fish for transport includes all 6orrimon precautions to reducestress (e.g.; starvatiori for at least 24 hrs, anaesthesia with 0.5 ppm Merinoi).

Because all input hatches, overflow and exit ports are sealOCt duririg f1ight, a piece cf pipeapproximately 4 cm lang protrudes from the center of the top of the box (Figure 1)allowing free aircirculation during transport andthereby avoiding a potential build-upof pressure in the box duririg f1ight arid sudden decompressiori when the box is beingamptied.

On the lower portion of sach side of the box is a 100 mm (inside diameter) pipe. fittedwith a' gate valve which serves as the exit port;When the. heliccpter arrives at thegrow-out cages; one end of a hose is connected to the exit port pipe arid the ether end isput in the cage; then the gate valve is opened. ' , .,

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Cost effectiveness

Using a Hughes 500D helicopter, a 175 km transport of fish in an external bucketsystem required about 40 minutes and cast approximately 5.5 cents per fish. Using thesame helicopter and the internal transport box system, the time involved was reduced to25 minutes and the cast. reduced to 3.5 cents per fish: Being able to avoid shutting Qff theengine and rotors during smolt transfer makes this transport system safe, rapid andcost-effective. Ichthyologists of Richmond, B.C. have a patent pending on thistransportation system.

References

Amend, D.F., et al, 1982: Transportation cf fish in closed systems; methods to controlammonia, carbon dioxide, pH and bacterial growth. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 111 (5):603·611.

Berka, R., 1986: Le transport des poissons vivants. Etude de synthese. FAO/EIFAC Tech.Pap. 48. 1·54.

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Bower, C.E., Turner, D.T., 1982: Ammonia removal by clinoptilolite in thetransport of ornamental freshwater fishes. Progr. Fish.·Cult. 44(1): 19-23.

Carmichael, C.J., 1984: Long·distance truck transport of intensively rearedlargemouth bass. Progr. Fish.-Cult. 46(2): 111-115.

Cuerrier, J.P., 1952: Transfer of anaesthetized adult lake traut by means of aircraft.Canadian Fish Culturist 13: 1-4.

Fereira, J.T., Schoonbee, J.J., Smit, G.L., 1984: The use ofbenzocaine-hydrochloride as an aid in the transport of fish. Aquaculture 42 (2):169-174.

Crs!, J.A., Short, J.W., 1987: Modifications in electrical anesthesia for salmonids.Progr. Fish.-Cult. 49: 144-146.

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Figure 1: The internal transport box tor a Hughes 500 D helicopter. (a) = Ovediowports; (b) = loading hatches; (c) = port tor off-Ioading; (d) = inflight air vent

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Figure 2: Transport box in helicopter with loading pipe in place. (a) loading pipe; (b)transport box; (c) overflow ports with overflow hose attached to lower port

Figure 3: Gravity ted loading hopper set up for loading smolts into transport box throughteed pipe. (a) = loading pipe; (b) = loading hopper; (c) = bucket containingsorted and counted smolts