Marine harvesting methods and apparatus

A device for separating viable brine shrimp cysts from an as harvested slurry thereof containing foreign materials, said device comprising:

• an endless strip of flexible fine mesh screen;
• means forming said screen into a closed loop having a substantially horizontal uppermost portion and a generally horizontal lowermost portion;
• means powering the strip into continuous motion along said loop;
• means for depositing as harvested shrimp cyst slurry upon the horizontal uppermost surface of the moving fine mesh screen;
• means for providing a generally continuous flow of water downwardly onto the shrimp slurry upon the horizontal uppermost portion of the screen;
• and
• an upwardly opening pan disposed beneath the uppermost horizontal portion of the screen to collect water and cysts flowing downwardly through the screen.

A device for separating viable brine shrimp cysts from an as harvested slurry thereof containing foreign materials, said device comprising:

• an endless strip of flexible fine mesh screen;
• means forming said screen into a closed loop having a substantially horizontal uppermost portion and a generally horizontal lowermost portion;
• means powering the strip into continuous motion along said loop;
• means for depositing as harvested shrimp cyst slurry upon the horizontal uppermost surface of the moving fine mesh screen;
• means for providing a generally continuous flow of water downwardly onto the shrimp slurry upon the horizontal uppermost portion of the screen;
• an upwardly opening pan disposed beneath the uppermost horizontal portion of the screen to collect water and cysts flowing downwardly through the screen;
• and
• wherein the means providing a flow of water onto the slurry comprises at least one water conduit secured to the frame, terminating in at least one spray nozzle positioned to discharge downwardly upon the slurry on the horizontal uppermost portion of the screen, said conduit having an inlet adapted for connection to a source of pressurized water.

A device for separating brine shrimp eggs from an as-harvested mixture of said eggs and foreign material from a body of water, the device comprising:

• screening means to separate the eggs from the mixture, said means receiving the mixture directly from a harvesting means removing said mixture from the water;
• wherein the screening means is carried by a shrimp egg harvesting vessel, and said screening means comprises;
• an endless strip of flexible fine mesh screen;
• means forming said screen into a closed loop having a substantially horizontal uppermost portion and a generally horizontal lowermost portion;
• means powering the strip into continuous motion along said loop;
• means for providing a generally continuous flow of water downwardly onto the mixture of eggs and foreign material upon the horizontal uppermost portion of the screen;
• upwardly opening pan means disposed beneath the uppermost horizontal portion of the screen to collect water and eggs flowing downwardly through the screen.

A method for harvesting brine shrimp roe disposed in a mixture of brine shrimp roe, brine shrimp, and detritus from a body of water, said method comprising the steps of:

• collecting said mixture from said body of water;
• transporting said collected mixture to a screening assembly;
• substantially separating solid brine shrimp roe from brine shrimp and detritus in said mixture at said screening assembly;
• and
• delivering said separated brine shrimp roe to at least one container.

An apparatus for harvesting brine shrimp roe disposed in a mixture of brine shrimp roe, brine shrimp, and detritus from a body of water, said apparatus comprising:

• a floating vessel;
• a collection assembly for collecting said mixture, said collection assembly being associated with said floating vessel;
• a screening assembly, associated with said floating support member, providing means for substantially separating said brine shrimp roe from brine shrimp and detritus in said mixture;
• extraction means for transporting said mixture collected by said collection assembly to said screening assembly;
• at least one container associated with said floating support member;
• and
• a delivery system for delivering said separated brine shrimp roe from said screening assembly to said container.