Ocean Orchards

Large scale manmade fish habitats rebuild fish stocks making millions of tonnes of new fish while allow fishing to continue

1.  Global fish stocks are collapsing. Overfishing is widespread, particularly in Asia. Trawling damages the habitat on the seabed, and further reduces the carrying capacity of ocean environment. This way of harvesting the sea is completely unsustainable.

2. Ocean Orchards will rejuvenate the seabed habitat and multiply the fish population that each area can support by building simple, low cost, vertical habitat that simulates the high populations of fish that are seen under oil platforms

3. Ocean orchards will be built over extensive areas of denuded shallow sea bed in South East Asia. These areas will become large scale profitable businesses that:

 - Support coastal communities

 - Improve food security

 - Generate secure jobs

 - Supply millions of tonnes of new fish

OCEAN ORCHARDS

25-hectare squares of depleted seabed will be rejuvenated with concrete reef blocks, sections of old oil platform and other fish-friendly habitat.

These squares will in effect create mini marine protected areas.

The squares will be laid out in a pattern over large areas of seabed with lanes in between that can still be trawled.

The squares will allow fish stocks (and a host of other marine creatures) to recover on areas of seabed that have been denuded by trawling, and the lanes will allow large-scale fishing to continue without destroying the source of the fish.

This hybrid approach avoids the clear-cutting / strip mining of conventional trawling and concentrates fishing in areas where it can be more closely managed.

It has been shown that man-made structures such as oil platforms can be 20 times more productive than natural reefs in equivalent areas (Claisse et al).

This multiplier will also apply in the Ocean Orchards by laying extensive areas of fixed Fish Aggregating Devices, providing a low cost equivalent to the vertical habitat created by the oil platforms.

Arrays will be installed in relatively shallow water, 10m-30m, where sunlight can drive the food chain.

In the long term, many thousands of km2 will be laid out across the South East Asian Seas, producing millions of tonnes of new fish.

TRIAL

A demonstration site has been selected in Malaysia which will incorporate an existing rig-to-reef location.

Arrays of concrete reef blocks and Fish Aggregating Devices will be built around the rig section. This trial will determine optimal design, quantify the species and productivity created by the habitat.

Learning will be applied to planned rigs-to-reefs activities to ensure that the largest, most productive arrays can be built at the lowest possible cost.

We are seeking external funding and insight for this project which already has Petronas, Department of Fisheries and Ministry of Agriculture support.

Ocean Orchards - combining the best features of Rigs to Reefs, artificial reefs and the controversial fish aggregating devices to build a new high volume habitat for fish.

Squares will be closed, allowing fish populations to thrive

Lanes will remain open, allowing profitable and sustainable fishing to continue.

Fishing will be sustainable as it will not be possible to catch all the fish

Once established, the intent is that all boats in Ocean Orchards will be closely monitored using small scale AIS systems.

Position, behaviour and speed will be recorded.

The system will be adapted to collect on board sonar data so that the population of fish in the area can be observed by the existing on board equipment

This will make the Ocean Orchard into a data rich, closely monitored, carefully managed fish husbandry environment, which is the opposite of the  current situation

A 25 hectare demonstration site has been selected in Malaysia which will incorporate an existing rig-to-reef location.

Arrays of concrete reef blocks and Fish Aggregating Devices will be built around the rig section. This trial will determine optimal design, quantify the species and productivity created by the habitat.

Learning will be applied to planned rigs-to-reefs activities to ensure that the largest, most productive arrays can be built at the lowest possible cost.

Initial sites are likely to be joint ventures between the Department of Fisheries, local State Governments, external NGOs and agencies.

Funding from an external source will be needed to get the project off the ground.

In the longer term, Plantation companies, seafood companies and perhaps private developers will take leases on areas of seabed to build large and profitable businesses that will serve society for the long term.

Large scale issues like rebuilding fish stocks will require input from committed companies who can make a reasonable return at the exercise and build expertise in the new sector

The first line of beneficiaries will be the fishermen, fishmongers, chandlers and their families. They will gather the fish and work with the companies / cooperatives that will build, maintain and operate the Ocean Orchards

Further beneficiaries include: Wider society who get a larger and more sustainable supply of fish: Organisations campaigning for MPAs as the Ocean Orchards will reduce the pressure on the rest of the sea and allow it to recover

Ocean Orchards will become large scale, self-sustaining businesses that will care for their assets to secure long term viability. Such approaches will be written into the lease contracts.

The solution is in the pilot stage, and although it has no direct employees, dozens of people are working together to realise this project.

During construction of the demonstration site, more people will be involved in the installation, followed by more on the scientific observation and assessment of the site.

Once established, each square kilometre will produce around 200 tonnes of fish per year, and support the wider community and fishermen

Once established, tens of thousands of square kilometres will be laid out across heavily trawled areas of sea bed. An area of this size across several countries will be producing millions of tonnes of new fish. This will be a considerable boost the economy of the host countries.

With an industry of this size, millions of people will be involved and supported. 

Healthy Ocean Orchards will host many thousands of small coral reefs that will grow on the concrete anchors. This will improve the resilience of coral and spread the risk of the impact of climate change on coral

T7 have considerable oil and gas industry experience and will be able to handle and install the sections of platforms and reef blocks. There is also substantial project management experience in the sector that can be applied to the project management of the deployment of large areas of Ocean Orchard.

The wider team already includes marine biologists, department of fisheries experts and other professionals who are keen to see this project in operation

The initial demonstration site will need to be funded by an external group such as an NGO or philanthropy. The Malaysian Department of Fisheries is not in a position to fund an unproven project, even if it is a good idea.

In the near term, Petronas and other oil companies will be able to supply old rig sections free of charge and some of the savings from the decommissioning could be diverted to the installation of the early Ocean Orchards

In the mid term, it is hoped that large Planation companies will take long leases on large areas of seabed to install Ocean Orchards. The companies and their backers will install the Ocean Orchard reefs, and the harvesting of sustainably caught fish will provide the revenue for long term profitable operation.

In the longer term, private development groups may also be attracted to the Ocean Orchards market, to lease and develop new areas. There is considerable enthusiasm for investment property in Asia, but the conventional housing markets area already saturated. A new sector, once proven, could be very popular

We are applying to all possible sources of funding.

The Solve approach is particularly attractive as it is interested in scalability. The Ocean Orchards project is uniquely scalable, as it can be applied across large areas of already damaged seabed, can reverse the decline of the fisheries and can potentially produce tens of millions of tonnes of new fish, increasing the capacity of the Ocean

Backing of the demonstration site is the next big hurdle for the project.

Additional expertise in the NGO and project management aspects would be very welcome