According to the company, it “features the industry’s smoothest buoyancy control system to alleviate fish stress and simplify operation”. Made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), it can be raised and lowered by a single worker by simply opening a valve. This enables operators to avoid rough seas or significant storms that would batter traditional surface pens, protecting not only the farm’s infrastructure but also its fish stocks.
Innovasea's SeaProtean Pen can be used in offshore aquaculture operations © InnovaSea
The company adds that "unlike other submersible HDPE pens, the smooth movement provided by the three-chambered buoyancy system prevents fish from experiencing dangerous barotrauma. It also gives farm personnel the precision necessary to find the perfect depth and water temperature for the species being grown".
“The SeaProtean Pen is a versatile addition to our lineup of tough, submersible offshore fish pens,” said Innovasea CEO David Kelly in a press release. “By delivering improved functionality and premium capabilities at a lower price point, SeaProtean will bring open ocean aquaculture to new regions and accelerate the journey from planning and permitting to production and profit.”
SeaProtean’s HDPE components make it more affordable than other submersible pens. And the ability to effortlessly raise and lower SeaProtean makes it ideal for locations where aesthetics or stakeholder opposition are a concern.
The pen can also incorporate Innovasea’s underwater feeding solution, which allows operators to feed fish stocks while the pen is submerged, reducing missed feed days, boosting growth rates and improving feed conversion ratios. It can also be equipped with Innovasea’s optional mortality trap, which lowers operational costs by reducing the need for divers.
The SeaProtean Pen joins Innovasea’s SeaStation and SeaVolution Pen, which are all designed for challenging open ocean environments.
