Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology

Institution:	Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Location:	Galway, IRLAND
Contact:	Dr. Martin Robinson
Habitat:	Saltwater
Type of rearing unit:	FOUR EXPERIMENTAL MARINE 250 KG AQUABIOTA CLOSED SYSTEMS FOR LONG-TERM LOBSTER HOLDING
Unit description:	Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology REBF Module for approximately 250 kg holding capacity (biofilter activated with salt water bacteria); 99% recirculated water; Chilling system to bring temperature down to 2°C (+0.2°C) with titanium heat exchanger; Degassing column (air intake included) for CO2 removing; Electronic controller and monitoring system (RF network included): 1 Enviro-monitron® 1 DO probe, 1 temperature probe, 1 flow detector for each unit 1 central computer, Temperature and oxygen injection controlled; One pressurised counter-current oxygen saturator with on-site oxygen generator; 1 Security package: 1 pressure relief valve, electrical components (pump starter, temperature controller) are housed in NEMA-4 boxes; 10 Trays with internal dividers (12 div./tray) and one movable fiberglass cabinet for 170 kg of lobster capacity, or three rows of 4 x Fish totes with built-in stand pipe and calibrated holes for 300 kg shellfish capacity.
Mandate:	Conception Fabrication On-site supervision, commissioning and training

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology

The aEco Lobster Condo is a concept by which a shellfish housing unit made of specially designed trays or totes stacked up over the ground is serviced by a water recirculation system.  Shellfish is maintained submerged in cold flowing water that trickles down from one tank to the next below.

Shallow basin made of moulded plastic with a built-in overflow that spills water from one level of trays down to the next.  Each pull-out tray consists of 6 permanent sections into which dividers can be placed so as to keep the animals apart.  Each tray can house between 18 to 36 lobsters, depending on their size.  Total capacity per tray is 15-17 kg (33-37 lb).  Trays can be either pulled out like drawers from a Cabinet, or nested into stacks.

This is a cabinet-like structure that houses segregated shellfish.  Fabricated from extruded fibreglass it is furnished with stacks of trays which may be pulled open like drawers for easy access to the product.  The water distribution system can be fixed on the structure.  Beam’s strength is adapted to the structure’s height.

The special plastic fish totes have two built-in standpipes to overflow excess water to maintain shellfish submerged. Strong water current trickles down from tote to tote through calibrated holes perforated at the bottom.   Approximately 25 kg (55 lb) of lobsters can be maintained loose or kept segregated with dividers in each tote.   These are normally used to keep shellfish alive from a couple of days up to 3-4 weeks.