Aquafarming: Master switch to solve all the problems? (2nd part)

It’s all about remote control! Previously I posted an article about remote controlled fish cages and it’s challenges.

Now, let’s climb up a level (or two) and raise the question: How do you feed fish (meant for human consumption) that aren’t in a tank but in the open ocean? Obviously, this sounds silly at first glance. But researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole are working on what they hope is an even better solution to conventional aquafarming in general and to the fancy machinery (‘remote controlled fish cages’) posted before. It’s about a new method and the magic word behind it is: acoustic ranching.

It’s about how to train fish to respond to a kind of dinner bell after being let out into the wild open sea. It’s about conditioning. It’s about Pavlov’s dogs. Mr. Scott Lindell is a scientist, who has been training the fish to associate the sound with food – making it a hell easier for men to harvest them.  Or as Mr. Lindell puts it: “it’s like remote controlled fish!”

A ‘sound stimuli’ is a low-pitched hum, virtually inaudible to the human ear, but clear as a – well, dinner bell to the fish. Current tests are undergoing right now. It involves a 10 meter wide mesh-covered structure, which is secured to the seabed of Buzzard’s Bay. It’s the temporary home of about four thousand black sea bass. When the research team first began the experiment, the fish didn’t associate the tone with food. But they’ve since caught on. Today, when these big kids play the tone, the fishes come in hordes. At least within this experimental surrounding it seems to work. But what about in the real world?

During the month of October the research team will open the dome to let the fish out to swim in open water. Their hope lies on the memory of these black sea bass, that when they will emit the tone the fish return to feed. If at least half of the four thousand sea bass return, they’ll deem the project a success.

The experiment should finish sometime in late October – now. Let’s hope for a very positive conclusion. Let’s hope for the master switch to solve all the problems aquafarming – today’s best way for human fish consumption – fights today. And maybe a better way to rescue/repopulate sturgeon stocks worldwide!

Stay tuned for more!

Related articles:

- WBUR.org

- WCAI FM

- Patriotledger.com

- Spiegel.de (german article)