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Saving our Cod, Cod research program, rearing
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Rearing Cod in Freshwater
Q & A Continued : Updated
Friday May 16th 2008
Q : Why has this
rearing program never been attempted before ?
A : We guess the main reason is that
whilst there has been a great deal of research into Cod as a species it has been
mostly funded by institutions, governments etc and all research of this sort
seems to follow familiar lines. From Tigers to Cod, they are all studied where
possible in their natural environment to establish seasonal movements, breeding
habits and so on with a view to protecting their habitat. Much has been done
with Cod from tagging programs to quota's, all based on preserving the natural
stocks. Unfortunately humans in general have a habit of plundering just about
everything into extinction given the chance and usually only begin to correct
the damage when it is far too late to succeed with a recovery program. All of
this research however has been extremely valuable and many people have spent
their lives trying to protect and understand the planet we live on. All we have
done is approach the whole subject from a completely different angle. Perhaps
the fact that we have not been dependent on institutionalised funding has
actually been a distinct advantage as we have not had to follow conventional
routes to please everyone sufficiently to get more finance or grants ! We firmly
believe that alternative protectionist policies that are commercially based have
a better chance than just concentrating on the environment itself. Trying
to get international agreements on looking after individual species is almost
impossible and usually consists of politicians jumping on whatever bandwagon can
get them votes, an interest that rapidly disappears between elections. Provide a
strong commercial interest however so that all parties can count the profits and
all of a sudden a species can become very important indeed. Providing that some
of the profits go back into both the species and its environment then there
can't be anything wrong with this approach. It would be much better of course if
all the fuss over the damage we all cause to the planet actually led to
significant change but it simply doesn't other than provide governments with an
excellent excuse to raise more money via yet more green taxes, very little of
which goes towards the planets recovery anyway. We need to find ways of earning
money from protecting our natural resources, not in fifty or a hundred years but
now as this is the only approach that will encourage large companies, and
governments for that matter, to invest. Programs such as our Cod research can
have a massive effect on the species survival as well as providing an excellent
income very quickly. Everybody gains. It may be unfortunate that the biggest
driver for change is profit but that's just the way it is so why not be honest
about it and lets see what we can all do to find ways of using this human trait
to actually do some good.
Q : Just how
successful could your program be in re-stocking Cod in the sea ?
A : There are of course a myriad of
factors to consider but to give you an idea of the potential it is generally
accepted that only 1 in every Million eggs actually make it to maturity in the
wild, not surprising that the stocks have suffered so badly. The survival rate
in a tank environment however is dramatically higher with as many as 70%
surviving. Imagine 1 in the wild compared to 700,000 per million in a tank
system ! Of course it is not our aim to rear cod to sexual maturity but
purely to provide the systems and technology to raise Cod to sufficient size for
the table. There will however be ample scope to work with our partners, official
bodies etc with a view to undertaking a re-stocking program and hopefully in the
future we can extend the range of species as our research into other fish
expands.
Q : How many tons of
Cod per year do you aim to produce ?
A : At this point it is not our aim
to produce Cod for the table ourselves, that is for whoever installs the system.
Our priority will be to produce the fingerlings to be grown on by others. This
nursery part of the system is the most complex whereas by comparison the 'growing on' is
a great deal simpler. It would also make more sense for food processors to
install these systems alongside their factories with very obvious advantages.
Their would be no transport costs, no heavy lorries or literally thousands of
white van men trundling up and down the motorways from the major ports loaded
with fish that may have been dead for some time packed in ice...... the fish
could be produced wherever there was a market need further benefiting both our
roads and the environment. What's more is that you could not possibly have a
fresher fish, straight from the tank to the packet as it were ! Whichever
producer invests in this technology first will capture a very lucrative market
indeed and be able to easily out-price it's competitors. Fresh, comparatively
cheap and environment friendly fish harvesting available throughout the world.
The potential is there to transform our approach to fish stocks and their
survival as well as earn an excellent income.
Q : The benefits of
your system are remarkable but are there any drawbacks ?
A : There are always drawbacks with
any new approach or technology, managing our food stocks has to involve
compromise. The only way we can ever avoid damaging our planet further is to
kill us all off and thankfully no-one has yet managed to do it despite our
inability to get along with each other. The first casualty to this new approach
to rearing fish for the market is obviously the trawlers and the ports they
serve. It has to be said however that there isn't much future for them anyway as
the natural stocks are just not recovering. Long term, if this new technology is
used to its full potential, the stocks may recover but by then the trawlers and
the industry surrounding them would have shrunk dramatically anyway. We could no
doubt think of many trades that could be affected but we just have to accept
that they would eventually be on the decline anyway. One would have to be very
careful also to make sure that any restocking is balanced and the possible
effects fully understood. Perhaps the only way to effectively embark on such a
program is to take the technology further and explore other species otherwise
the whole delicate infrastructure of the seas could be affected, we've already
done enough damage. Thankfully such far reaching decisions need to be taken by
others at government level with the resources to study all the possible
consequences. For now at least, protecting what species we have left by
predating on fewer of them must be the best option.
Q : I take it that
you must be adding salt to make the water saline ?
A : No salt is added to the
environment. The water is entirely fresh.
Q : How long after
installation of the system can the Cod be introduced ?
A : There are three main stages and
the time spans that follow are approximate depending on ambient conditions and
the installation of any additional equipment relating to location. The first
lasts three months after the water is added to both tanks which allows time for
the system to settle and for final software adjustments, equipment tests etc.
The second phase will vary from three to four months and includes the addition
of selected plants, shellfish and our own biological liquid solution to boost
the reaction in the second tank. The third stage can then commence and Cod
selected to grow on will be added to the first tank which will be the main
growing facility. Some time later fingerlings will be added to the second tank
which will be transferred once the Cod in the main tank are ready to be removed
for processing. This is then repeated to achieve continuity.
Q : What is the
lifespan of the system ?
A : As long as the various
electro-mechanical parts last. In other words, once established, the system in
self regulating. All the client has to add is food.
Q : Does this mean
there is no close down or rest period for the tanks ?
A : Correct. The whole unit produces
a self contained and self sustaining environment with no waste and no need to
have water changes.
Q : Surely it would
be better if everyone were vegetarian then the fish would not be in danger in
the first place ?
A : Don't be stupid.
Q : Is this system
really self sufficient in terms of maintaining water quality ? If so that is
amazing.
A : Yes it is self sufficient. It
has also been very difficult to perfect which is why it has taken ten years and
an entirely different approach. Admittedly there may be the need for minor
adjustment from time to time as nothing is ever perfect but essentially these
adjustments should be small.
Q : Would it ever be
possible to adapt this system for home use, aquariums etc ?
A : Perhaps but it is not a market
we are interested in.
Q : How long will it
be before an entire system ready for installation will be available ?
A : We are ready to take orders now
on a first come first served basis. Obviously the number of available units will
be relatively small for the next 12 months and we do appreciate that the first
people to enter the market will have an enormous advantage over their
competitors but unfortunately we can only work so many hours in a day. As time
passes however we aim to rapidly increase the units available so whilst it will
not be possible to completely meet demand internationally we will do all we can
to find suitable suppliers for the various specialised components at various
locations worldwide to help speed the process.
More to follow on a daily basis as
the questions come in .....................
Call or Fax : 01409 253 123 / 01409 211 641
Email :
admin@diobas.com
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