Volume loss of an aquaculture net pen due to current speed and linear weight of sinker ring/Pérdida de volumen de una jaula de cultivo por efecto de la velocidad de la corriente y del uso de anillo cortacorriente

The internal volume of aquaculture net pens is an important variable to fish comfort during the culture process. In this research, a module of net pens was modelled using the finite element (FE) software AquaSim®. The net pens deformation was analyzed under different current speeds (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 m s^sup -1^) and linear weights of the sinker rings (30, 40 and 50 kg m^sup -1^). It was found that under the most severe condition, that is, the highest current speed and the lowest linear weight of the sinker ring (0.75 m s^sup -1^ and 25 kg m^sup -1^, respectively), the volume loss with respect to initial undeformed net pen volume reached a maximum value of 53%. This occurred in the net pen firstly exposed to currents. Based on modeling results, a relationship between net pen volume loss due to the combined effects of both water current speed and linear weights of the sinker rings is proposed.