UTRGV
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Mechanical Engineering Department
Team 5 Shallow Oyster Farming System Project
Introduction
Welcome! We are Team 5 "Midnight Sons". Consisting of Joshua, Alan, Allan, and Cesar, we have been working on this project since January 2022. We will continue to work on this project till December 2022.
We have discovered a problem that is currently impacting every living person on Earth today; if left unchecked, it will affect future generations in a much more drastic way compared to the problem's effects now. The problem we have identified is that our finite food supply has reached the maximum threshold to be able to feed the current population. As technology advances and the average life expectancy increases, our population will continue growing exponentially; straining our finite food supply past a breaking point where we will face the devastating scenario of world hunger. To try to mitigate this problem we have designed a Shallow Oyster Farming System that will be discussed in detail below. We hope that you enjoy this project as much as we have.
What is the problem we are trying to solve and what can we do?
As stated in the Introduction, the problem we are facing is that our current food supply is barely enough to feed the current population. It doesn't help that as the years continue to advance, life expectancy will keep improving and the population will grow exponentially.
With these inevitable facts, it is not so far off to predict that we will experience harsh food shortages that will affect everyone around the globe unless solutions tackling this problem come to fruition.
One such solution is by allowing the general public in the Rio Grande Valley to build their own Oyster Farming Systems. However, this also brings to light another problem we must tackle. The closest bodies of water near the Rio Grande Valley are the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre Bay. These waters are shallow, making traditional Oyster Farming Systems methods impossible to function in The Valley.
This is where our project comes in. Our project is to build a Shallow Water Oyster Farming System that is affordable to the people of the Rio Grande Valley, works in shallow water, and can easily be maintained by the Oyster Farmer.
Important To Know
Oyster Aquaculture is a possibility for increasing food production from a marine environment point. This industry is worth billions so there are also opportunities for people to gain income. Especially since the natural and anthropogenic stresses throughout the U.S. have caused the oyster population to decline and as a result, Greg Abbot signed a Law (HB1300) that allows Texas Park and Wildlife Department to regulate the oyster industry in Texas as an effort to stimulate the oyster production in Texas. With all this information in mind, it is clear that there are many opportunities in oyster farming.
Why Is This Problem Important?
Our main motivation to work on this Shallow Water Oyster Farming Project is to be part of a solution to a prominent problem that is currently affecting some nations and that can affect the entire globe in the future if nothing is done.
Based on what we've stated so far our project needs to solve two problems, one "Big Picture" problem (Food Shortages), and one subproblem (Shallow Water) that comes with trying to solve the big picture problem in The Valley. These problems affect different populations and can have negative consequences for their respective population, which is why they are important to solve.
The first problem currently affects some nations now, and if left completely unresolved this problem will affect the entire globe. We can then predict that with a short food supply and a growing population, future events will grow to be chaotic and cause problems in society, the economy, and the environment. The second problem affects the general community of the Rio Grande Valley in terms of economics and the community itself. Although both problems hit different populations what they do have in common and why they're both important to deal with is that they take away opportunities for the people. Not only that but without dealing with these problems any sustainable progress we (Earth's population) have tried doing would be for nothing.
Our Initial Proposed Solution
Initially, when we started this project we came up with a proposed solution that involves 2 PVC pipes acting as support anchors with a washer and screw connected near the top end of the PVC pipes and a rope that will be tied down between both washers of each PVC pipe. The PVC pipes also do not have any anchor mechanism (All of this together is only a part of the system). Once all the parts are put together side by side they form one line system.
Ideally, we want to make a row of lines of this new horizontal system that would cover the land span of an acre. The images below only show part of one line system (only 2 PVCs). Again to reiterate, a line system will have multiple of these parts connected side by side to form the entire line system.
From Idea To Reality
After going out into the designated environment where the oysters are planned to be harvested, and having the opportunity to do validation testing on our Initial Proposal, we quickly realized our Initial Proposal could not function (In this case it could not maintain the weight of a predicted amount of fully grown oysters that could grow on 2 feet of rope).
Because of these results, we decided to go back to the drawing board and seek guidance from our Instructors and Advisors to figure out a new proposal that could function.
Our Team thought process, for now, was that if part of the line system can maintain the weight of the oyster then the entire line system can function since an entire line is a part (2 PVCs) copied and pasted throughout the line.
Theoretical Calculations
Changes to the Solution (Current)
What Changed?
What caused our Initial Proposal Part to fail was mainly the rope support (bolt and washer)/placement on the PVC. After much discussion and review, we as a Team decided to eliminate the bolt and washer entirely and instead make the PVC support the rope (By adding Tee PVC Pipe Fitting or Creating Notches on the top that will hold the rope). Below you'll sketches as well as videos/images of the detail of these changes.
Essentially the rope will be supported by the PVC and in return act as another anchor holding the system firm (once it has the Oysters' full weight) apart from the sediment holding the PVC anchors firm. For now, we also have concrete blocks at the end of the part to create tension to hold and maintain the full-grown oysters.
Final Product
Since we still are not done with this project we still do not have an official final product. What we currently have can be considered 'almost' the final product. To define 'almost', this current product described above went through many tests and demonstrated that it can maintain the weight of 2ft of fully grown oysters. Now what we as Team want to accomplish is minimizing the number of materials needed, and this will be explained in detail in the 'Future Work" section.
Future Work
For our Future Work, now that we have a 'Final Product' (still subject to change due to more inevitable testing in the future) we plan to change the Tensioning Mechanism (Concrete Blocks) into something more feasible that can be carried more into the customers respective land property (Based on our experiences it was difficult to move to the respective environment with Concrete Blocks). For now what we have in mind or thicker PVCs that will act as anchors/holders at the end of each line with an additional tension mechanism that will add or take tension from the entire line.
Apart from that, we would also like to increase the distance between each PVC (Currently 2ft apart). This will subsequently lead to us trying to develop an anchor mechanism in case the PVC itself fails. This will drastically minimize the number of materials needed allowing us to put the money into the possible anchor mechanism.
Learn More About Our Design Process
We have been going through the non-linear design process throughout the span of Senior Design I and II, and will continue to do so till the project time frame is over.
We also want to state that the information on this website is intended for the general public. If anyone wishes to learn more about the specific details of the project and the detailed design process, please feel free to contact any one of our SDII Student Staff below.
Joshua L. Banda - joshua.l.banda01@utrgv.edu
Alan Urteaga - alan.urteaga01@utrgv.edu
Allan Vazquez - allan.vazquez01@utrgv.edu
Cesar Villanueva - cesar.villanueva01@utrgv.edu
References
Anon, 2019. HB1300 An Act relating to cultivated oyster mariculture; authorizing fees; requiring a permit; creating a criminal offense.
https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=SB682
Rampersad J., 2019. The unique Lower Laguna Madre oyster Crassostrea virginica and its potential for offshore culture, World Aquaculture Society Meeting March 7-11, 2019, New Orleans, Louisiana
Rocipici A., Dudensing R., Hanselka D., 2017. Economic Contributions of the Texas Oyster Fishery Texas A &M Agrilife http://texasseagrant.org/assets/uploads/resources/18-502_State_of_Texas_Oyster_Fishery_Economic_Contributions.pdf Accessed January 20, 2022
Knapp G., 2018. The Texas Oyster Industry is now a shell of its former self. Houstonia Magazine https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2018/4/24/texas-oyster-industry Accessed January 20, 2022
Cartwright G., 2010. Consider the Oyster. Texas Monthly https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/consider-the-oyster/ Accessed January 20, 2022
Anderson JD., Karel W.J., Mace C.E, Bartram B.L., Hare M.P., 2014. Spatial genetic features of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin) in the Gulf of Mexico: northward movement of a secondary contact zone. Ecology and Evolution; 4(9): 1671– 1685
Rocipici A., Dudensing R., Hanselka D., 2017. Economic Contributions of the Texas Oyster Fishery Texas A &M Agrilife http://texasseagrant.org/assets/uploads/resources/18-502_State_of_Texas_Oyster_Fishery_Economic_Contributions.pdf
Schattenberg, P., 2021. Texas oyster farming outlook good for 2021 and beyond. https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2020/10/01/texas-oyster-farming-outlook-good-for-2021-and-beyond/
“Oyster - Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Online Resource Guide.” Accessed February 18, 2022. https://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/oyster.aquaculture.ALF_.pdf
“Oyster Anatomy.” Mass Oyster Project. Accessed February 18, 2022. http://massoyster.org/ oyster-information/anatomy
Adjustable longline oyster growing system, Fukui North America. Accessed February 18, 2022. https://www.fukuina.com/shellfish/als_growout.htm
“Oyster - Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Online Resource Guide.” Accessed February 18, 2022. https://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/oyster.aquaculture.cages_.pdf
“Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Online Resource Guide.” Accessed February 18, 2022. https:// shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/Off-bottom-Oyster-Culture-Gear-Types.pdf
“Rack and Bag Oyster Culture: Growing Oysters.” Go Deep, July 13, 2015. https:// godeepaquaculture.com/oysters/off-bottom-culture-in-rack-and-bag-french-table-systems/
“The Different Methods of Growing Oysters.” Pangea Shellfish Company. Accessed February 21, 2022. https://www.pangeashellfish.com/blog/the-different-methods-of-growing-oysters
“Traditional Bed or Bottom Culture.” Penn Cove Shellfish. Accessed February 21, 2022. http:// www.penncoveshellfish.com/traditional-bed-or-bottom-culture
“Classic Home.” Horn Point Oyster Hatchery, December 7, 2021. https://hatchery.hpl.umces.edu/
“Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Online Resource Guide.” Accessed February 21, 2022. http:// shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/Oyster-Growout-Systems-and-Methods-used-in-NE-US.pdf