Brine shrimp egg harvesting device

A device for harvesting brine shrimp eggs comprising:

• means for concentrating brine shrimp eggs floating at the surface of a body of water;
• a brine shrimp collector for removing and collecting brine shrimp eggs from the water surface comprising a conveyor system and a collection tank, wherein the conveyor system comprises:
• an inlet end extending into the body of water adjacent the floating layer of brine shrimp eggs;
• an outlet end extending above the body of water;
• a ramp having a ramp surface located between the inlet end and the outlet end;
• a drive mechanism;
• and
• a plurality of rigid impermeable scoops connected to the drive mechanism, said scoops being sized and configured about the drive mechanism to enter the water at the inlet end and to engage the ramp surface such that said scoops contain and transport a slurry of brine shrimp eggs along the ramp surface and deposit the eggs into the collection tank at the outlet end;
• at least one porous storage container;
• and
• a pumping system for transporting the brine shrimp eggs from the brine shrimp collector to at least one porous storage container.

A device for harvesting brine shrimp eggs comprising:

• means for concentrating brine shrimp eggs floating at the surface of a body of water, wherein the means for concentrating brine shrimp eggs comprises diverging, wedge-oriented booms defining a wide forward end and a narrow rearward end configured such that as the booms move forward in relation to the floating brine shrimp eggs, the eggs are received into the wide forward end and channeled into an increasingly narrow space until they are concentrated at the rearward end of the booms;
• a brine shrimp collector for removing and collecting brine shrimp eggs from the water surface comprising:
• a collection tank, wherein the collection tank has at least one drain disposed within it adjacent the lowest point of the collection tank and wherein the collection tank drain is connected to one end of a conduit;
• a conveyor system comprising:
• an inlet end extending into the body of water adjacent the floating layer of brine shrimp eggs;
• an outlet end extending above the body of water;
• a ramp having a ramp surface located between the inlet end and the outlet end;
• a drive mechanism;
• a plurality of rigid impermeable scoops connected to the drive mechanism, said scoops being sized and configured about the drive mechanism to enter the water at the inlet end and to engage the ramp surface such that said scoops contain and transport a slurry of brine shrimp eggs along the ramp surface and deposit the eggs into the collection tank at the outlet end, wherein each scoop has an outer longitudinal edge containing a flexible material for engaging the ramp surface to maintain uniform contact between the scoop and the ramp surface;
• and
• means for adjusting the depth of the inlet end of the conveyor system below the water surface;
• at least one porous storage container;
• and
• a pumping system connected to the conduit for transporting the brine shrimp eggs from the brine shrimp collector to at least one porous storage container.