EVANSVILLE—There is a real buzz in the fish farm industry worldwide, and it focuses on the new submersible cage that sinks in under two minutes to keep fish safe from ice and storms, developed and designed by local fish farmer Mike Meeker. The StormSafe Submersible is production friendly for fish farming.
“The interest we have received has really been overwhelming,” stated Mr. Meeker in an interview with the Recorder. “I have 100 percent confidence that these cages can be installed in any waters and come through with flying colours.”
The StormSafe Submersible cage can be submerged in under two minutes and brought back to the water service in five minutes, all by operating one valve by the operator-whether they are right beside the cage or as far as 10-20 miles away. It is better suited than other cages to cultivating fish in more exposed locations.
The StormSafe is a hexagon with vertical spars that are far more wave resistant that standard floating horizontal tubes.
“I always felt that to expand and grow our operations the cages should be able to handle all types of weather and water conditions, and be out of site, out of mind,” said Mr. Meeker. “Everyone is going off-shore and this type of cage is made for this.” He said the cages have been sold or serious interest has been shown by operators in places such as Finland, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, the US, South America and other locations around the world.
“We will be installing a cage for the University of New Hampshire for testing (they have an offshore site),” said Mr. Meeker. “Their operation is on the ocean, and with this cage I see no difference with how the cage will come through there with weather conditions, or through similar conditions on the Great Lakes,” said Mr. Meeker. The StormSafe Submersible was something that he completely designed and there is nothing else like it in the world. “The previous circular cages we designed were good, but it was it was not as easy to get fish in and out, and clean, as there were only two places that you could get into the circular cages. The circular cage is not a cage to grow fish in efficiently, effectively and safely when it comes to producing fish and making money. This new submersible cage is.”
The new submersible cages have been getting a lot of play in major publications throughout the world as well.
“And because the cage is so strong it is safe from say 30 foot waves, ice and ice movement,” said Mr. Meeker. “So if there is bad weather coming you can sink the cage in less than two minutes at the end of the day and know the cage and the fish inside are safe. Then in the morning it takes five minutes to bring the cage back up to the water surface.”
Mr. Meeker did the original concept and design on the submersible cage about 14 years ago, but didn’t have the time or the money to go forward at that time. He designed the cage with the National Research Council in Canada and an Ontario company, Kropf, builds the cages, which he stressed were originally designed to benefit those in the fish farming business in Ontario.
Mr. Meeker noted he has had one of the new StormSafe Submersible cages at his local operations since August 2015 and it has operated virtually perfectly. “We have proven the cages have no detrimental impacts on water quality or the environment,” he said. “We could grow fish on the south shore of Manitoulin Island. We are working with people in Michigan who want to put the cage in Lake Michigan, which does not have many sheltered places, but with this cage they will be able to grow fish effectively and safely.”
“We are currently working with a group that want to set up a cage eight miles off-shore from Long Island, New York. And the next stop after that will be Ireland,” said Mr. Meeker. His biggest problem with interest worldwide with the cages currently could be with combining the work he is doing with his own business and selling these cages. However, he noted, “I love growing fish and want to grow aquaculture around here and Ontario, but I have to figure how to sell these cages while not interfering with what we are doing here. We have to grow our industry on the Island, and Ontario.”
Mr. Meeker has sold 10 of the StormSafe Submersible cages thus far with guarantees for eight more sales, and has interest for many, many more. “The response has been overwhelming. I have 100 percent confidence we can install a cage anywhere and safely put fish in it within two days, where they can be raised.”
