A Polish man says he has quite literally turned oyster farming on its head - by inventing a revolutionary device that allows for three times more oysters within the same area of seabed.
Grzegorz Skawiński developed the product over two years which uniquely has a rotating cage system.
Oyster sacks are placed one above the other, rather than traditional farming of side by side on trestles, saving space on the seabed and increasing production.
And when the device rotates, it allows the oysters to move freely, aiding growth.
Normally each oyster bag is turned by hand – five in a row on a trestle. Grzegorz’s system allows 16 to be turned in one rotation.
The project currently in prototype stage has other benefits.
Along with a high-quality oyster in terms of shape and meat, the device can farm in deeper waters, previously inaccessible.
And because of the rotating system, back pain is relieved, common in the industry.
Sea pollution is also eliminated as rubber bands that hold bags in place on a trestle, are not required on the device.
He developed the product having worked in oyster farming in Co. Waterford for eight years.
He saw the potential of a new product to help with ease of farming and plastic pollution, but vitally production levels and increased profits.
Grzegorz said: “When you work with oysters, you understand intimately how farming methods work, and importantly for me, how they can be improved.
"The idea of rotation was born while working on the project. The main goal of the project was to place as many oysters as possible on the seabed surface."
Grzegorz first started on the project in 2017 and created the device for testing and research purposes.
It’s currently patented in Ireland, along with patents expected in the UK and France.
Grzegorz is now keen to move on with the next phase of the business – either to sell the licensed patent or work with a manufacturer to market the product globally.