Fishing System for Fishing for Shrimps, Fish Processing Line and Vessel Provided Therewith, and Method Therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to a fishing system (102), a fish processing line (18, 22) and/or vessel (2) provided therewith, and a method (26) therefor. The fishing system (102) according to the invention comprises a fishing net (6) for catching shrimps or fish; transfer means (14, 15, 16) connected operatively to the fishing net (6) for bringing on board the caught shrimps or fish; an automatic detection device (18) configured to detect, classify and if desired sort the shrimps or fish brought on board; a registration system (104) connected operatively to the detection device (18) and configured to receive, store and read and/or transmit data (108) obtained with the detection device (18) about the shrimps or fish brought on board, wherein the data (108) comprise information about the quantity, classification and location of the caught shrimps or fish.

Claims

1. A fishing system, comprising: a fishing net for catching shrimps or fish; transfer means connected operatively to the fishing net for bringing on board the caught shrimps or fish; an automatic detection device configured to detect, classify and if desired sort the shrimps or fish brought on board; a registration system connected operatively to the detection device and configured to receive, store and read and/or transmit data obtained with the detection device about the shrimps or fish brought on board, wherein the data comprise information about the quantity, classification and location of the caught shrimps or fish.

2. The fishing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection device comprises a camera system for detecting and classifying shrimps or fish brought on board.

3. The fishing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein further comprising a location determining system connected operatively to the registration system for linking location data to a registration.

4. The fishing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the registration system is configured to generate and/or receive an alarm if the catch falls exceeds one or more of the catch criteria and/or comes close to doing so.

5. The fishing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a singulator configured to supply to the detection device singulated shrimps or fish brought on board.

6. The fishing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the singulator comprises two or more conveyor belts which in use move at a differing speed, and wherein the first conveyor belt comprises a wire mesh belt.

7. The fishing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer means comprise a brine tank provided with a first separating grid arranged at the inlet of the brine tank and/or a second separating grid arranged at the outlet of the brine tank.

8. The fishing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bycatch discharge for throwing back unwanted bycatch.

9. The fishing system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electronic reporting system configured for automatic reporting of the data.

10.-15. (canceled)

16. The fishing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the registration system is configured to generate and/or receive an alarm if the catch falls exceeds one or more of the catch criteria and/or comes close to doing so.

17. The fishing system as claimed in claim 16, wherein further comprising a location determining system connected operatively to the registration system for linking location data to a registration.

18. The fishing system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a singulator configured to supply to the detection device singulated shrimps or fish brought on board.

19. The fishing system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an electronic reporting system configured for automatic reporting of the data.

20. The fishing system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an electronic reporting system configured for automatic reporting of the data.

21. A vessel provided with a fishing system and/or fish processing line as claimed in claim 1.

22. The vessel as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a fish processing line, comprising: a fishing system wherein the fishing net is provided with an entry side for catching shrimps or fish and an outlet arranged on the net for discharging caught shrimps or fish during the fishing; and a processing line for processing shrimps connected operatively to the detection device.

23. The vessel as claimed in claim 22, wherein the processing line further comprises a cooking and peeling device, wherein the cooking and peeling device preferably comprises a combined device for performing a cooking process and a peeling process.

24. The vessel as claimed in claim 23, wherein the detection device is provided upstream of the cooking and peeling device.

25. A method for catching and bringing shrimps or fish on board in semi-continuous or continuous manner, comprising of: catching, bringing on board, detecting, classifying and if desired sorting the shrimps or fish brought on board with a fishing system and/or fish processing line; and receiving, storing and reading and/or transmitting data obtained with the detection device about the shrimps or fish brought on board, using a registration system connected operatively to the detection device, wherein the data comprise information about the quantity, classification and location of the caught shrimps or fish.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the step of throwing back unwanted bycatch and/or further comprising of automatically transmitting the data and thereby monitoring the catch with valid catch criteria, and/or further comprising the step of processing the shrimps on board.

Description

[0048] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are elucidated on the basis of a preferred embodiment thereof, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a view of a vessel provided with a fishing system according to the invention; and

[0050] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the method according to the invention.

[0051] A vessel 2 (FIG. 1) lies in water 4 and is provided on either side with a net 6 during the shown fishing. During use net 6 is suspended in water 4 using frame 8 and provided with entry 10. Fish and shrimps swim into net 6 at entry 10.

[0052] In the shown embodiment outlet 12 is provided on the rear side of net 6. Via transfer means, formed in the shown embodiment as hose or tube 14, the catch is carried using pump 15 into a brine tank 16 provided with an inlet grid and an outlet grid. From brine tank 16 the catch is transferred to detection device 18 which in the shown embodiment is provided with camera system 20. In a possible embodiment the transport speed at the position of camera system 20 is about 100 mm per second. It has been found that practical implementation of the sorting is hereby obtained.

[0053] In the shown embodiment the sorted shrimps are optionally further transported to cooking and peeling device 22. Sorted unwanted bycatch is discarded via discharge 24 and thrown back into water 4.

[0054] Fishing system 102 comprises detection device 18 with which the catch is monitored on the basis of valid criteria. The catch is classified and registered with registration system 104. Use is made here of GPS system 106 for determining the location of the catch. Registration system 104 is optionally provided with transmission means for sending relevant data with signal 108. Provided between brine tank 16 and detection device 18 is singulator 110 with a wire mesh belt and two or more further conveyor belts.

[0055] The whole process 26 (FIG. 2) comprises of positioning 28 vessel 2 in water 4 with nets 6 at or close to a desired geographical location. Fishing 30 then begins wherein the catch is brought on board using pump 15 in a continuous or semi-continuous fishing step 32. Pump 15 suctions the catch out of outlet 12 via hose or tube 14. Stones and shells are removed from the catch as it is brought on board in step 32, for instance with the grids of brine tank 16.

[0056] Detection and/or sorting 34 subsequently takes place, preferably with camera system 20. During sorting 34 the shrimps and bycatch are singulated using a singulator 110 making use of for instance a vibrating sieve and/or a conveyor belt. The bycatch is separated from the shrimps in sorting step 34. The shrimps are optionally sorted into a number of classes, for instance three size-classes.

[0057] Bycatch is thrown back overboard via discharge 24 in discharge step 36. The total time the bycatch remains on board amounts to a time period of seconds to two to three minutes.

[0058] The relevant data of the catch are stored in registration step 112. In monitoring step 114 the data are monitored in preferably automatic manner in respect of the valid criteria. This monitoring can take place on-line through monitoring within registration system 104 and/or via exchange of data 108 with the shore for monitoring there. The monitoring can also take place off-line, for instance after return to port. The monitoring can entail approval for further processing in approval step 116, wherein further processing can take place on board and/or onshore. During the approval step permission for certification can also be given in certifying step 118. In inspection step 120 the catch can be inspected using the approval data by the fisherman and/or authorities and/or third parties and an alarm can optionally be generated, for instance when the catch quota is reached at the relevant geographical location.

[0059] During the process 38 of cooking the sorted shrimps the shrimps are preferably cooked individually and then preferably peeled immediately during peeling step 40. This peeling preferably takes place by machine.

[0060] Following the cooking process the shrimps are cooled during cooling process 42 and held for instance in a container filled with water at about 5 C. Other cooled storage techniques are also possible. The cooled shrimps are subsequently further processed during further handling 44, including packaging and transport.

[0061] The present invention is by no means limited to the above described preferred embodiments thereof. The rights sought are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged. It is thus possible following sorting to provide an additional sorter, for instance in the form of a bycatch device, in order to perform a second sorting. It is also possible to carry out detection of fish and sorting of fish with a robot (arm).