A system and method for oyster aquaculture employs a hemispherical, dome shaped, hollow structure that is disposed in tidal or intertidal waters. This structure includes a plurality of small through-holes that allow fluid communication between the interior and exterior of the structure. An oyster seed source is suspended within the interior of the dome structure. The interior and exterior surfaces of the dome structure provide the hard surface required for the attachment of oyster spat and the resulting growth of adult oysters.

A system and method for oyster aquaculture employs a hemispherical, dome shaped, hollow structure that is disposed in tidal or intertidal waters. This structure includes a plurality of small through-holes that allow fluid communication between the interior and exterior of the structure. An oyster seed source is suspended within the interior of the dome structure. The interior and exterior surfaces of the dome structure provide the hard surface required for the attachment of oyster spat and the resulting growth of adult oysters.

A system and method for oyster aquaculture employs a hemispherical, dome shaped, hollow structure that is disposed in tidal or intertidal waters. This structure includes a plurality of small through-holes that allow fluid communication between the interior and exterior of the structure. An oyster seed source is suspended within the interior of the dome structure. The interior and exterior surfaces of the dome structure provide the hard surface required for the attachment of oyster spat and the resulting growth of adult oysters.

A system for preserving or establishing an ecosystem comprises an assembly coupled to a guidance component. An assembly comprises an enclosure and a substrate, and is configured to contain one or more organisms within the enclosure. The guidance component causes the assembly to be transported to a destination environment. The assembly is decoupled from the guidance component. The assembly detaches from the substrate, to integrate the one or more organisms into an ecosystem of the destination environment.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to articles used as an artificial reef and/or used as a part of an artificial reef, methods of making the articles, methods of using the articles, and methods of forming artificial reefs. The articles include a top, at least one support member, and optionally, a base. In some embodiments, the water permeability of the top of the article is greater (and in some embodiments, at least 10% greater) than the water permeability of the support, the water permeability of the optional base, or both. In preferred embodiments, the top, support(s), and optional base are formed of concrete.

A system of harvesting sea creatures from a trench holding the sea creatures in seawater, including a trench, an injection well, and a harvesting apparatus that extracts the sea creatures from the trench. The trench includes a gate at one end of the trench. The gate insertable into an opening at the end of the trench to prevent seawater from entering or exiting the trench and removable from the opening to allow the seawater to enter or exit the trench. The injection well is positioned external to the trench and can receive the seawater discharged from the trench. The harvesting apparatus includes a conveyor that inclines. The conveyor includes a conveyor belt and a wedge at one end of the conveyor that contacts the bottom floor of the trench when the conveyor is inclined.

A system of harvesting sea creatures from a trench holding the sea creatures in seawater, including a trench, an injection well, and a harvesting apparatus that extracts the sea creatures from the trench. The trench includes a gate at one end of the trench. The gate insertable into an opening at the end of the trench to prevent seawater from entering or exiting the trench and removable from the opening to allow the seawater to enter or exit the trench. The injection well is positioned external to the trench and can receive the seawater discharged from the trench. The harvesting apparatus includes a conveyor that inclines. The conveyor includes a conveyor belt and a wedge at one end of the conveyor that contacts the bottom floor of the trench when the conveyor is inclined.

There is described a module for an underwater structure. The module comprises a plurality of walls defining a cavity configured such that at least two walls of said plurality of walls confront one another to provide respective stack support surfaces for supporting said module, said walls are substantially parallel to form complementary stack surfaces, such that one stack surface may rest on a surface and the other complementary stack surface provides a rest surface for another module. Two or more walls of said plurality of walls each comprise an aperture providing a conduit through each two or more walls to said cavity, respective apertures of said two or more walls and said cavity configured to provide a water flow path into, through and from said cavity. The water flow path may be considered unconstrained or at least substantially unconstrained in that water ma flow through the apertures and cavity without deviation or interruption other than by the module or cavity walls. In stacked formation an aperture may be occluded or partially occluded but still the module when on its own may provide water pathways which may be considered unconstrained or substantially unconstrained.

There is described a module for an underwater structure. The module comprises a plurality of walls defining a cavity configured such that at least two walls of said plurality of walls confront one another to provide respective stack support surfaces for supporting said module, said walls are substantially parallel to form complementary stack surfaces, such that one stack surface may rest on a surface and the other complementary stack surface provides a rest surface for another module. Two or more walls of said plurality of walls each comprise an aperture providing a conduit through each two or more walls to said cavity, respective apertures of said two or more walls and said cavity configured to provide a water flow path into, through and from said cavity. The water flow path may be considered unconstrained or at least substantially unconstrained in that water ma flow through the apertures and cavity without deviation or interruption other than by the module or cavity walls. In stacked formation an aperture may be occluded or partially occluded but still the module when on its own may provide water pathways which may be considered unconstrained or substantially unconstrained.

A reef replacement system including: a front vertical open side having a horizontal lower edge and a parabolic upper edge, an upper layer extending from said parabolic upper edge to a height approximately equivalent to the height of said lower edge, wherein said system also includes at least two super-imposed cavities underneath said upper layer.