Surrogate Broodstock Development in Aquaculture

The rapidly changing climatic conditions, habitat destruction, aquatic pollution, and increasing anthropogenic pressure on water bodies have led to a decline in many important fish populations, making some of them endangered. Currently, the breeding protocol for seed production in captivity is developed for only a handful of fish species, and most of their seed is collected from natural resources for aquaculture. This limits the efforts for species diversification in aquaculture. Surrogate broodstock development using adult fish as recipients is a viable approach to generate seed for aquaculture, especially for large or non-responsive species. The donor-derived gametes can be generated within a few months after stem cell transplantation, unlike using embryos or young hatchlings that take years to attain sexual maturity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 108 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2020
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The rapidly evolving climatic conditions, coupled with habitat destruction, aquatic pollution, and escalating anthropogenic pressure on water bodies, have led to a significant decline in many important fish populations, with some even teetering on the brink of extinction. As of now, the breeding protocol for seed production in captivity has been developed for only a handful of fish species, and most of their seeds are collected from natural resources for aquaculture purposes. This limitation hinders efforts to diversify species in aquaculture. However, there are approaches and technologies available to generate seeds for such fish species, particularly those that are too large to propagate in captivity or those that do not respond to hormonal treatments due to the stress of confinement. One viable approach is surrogate broodstock development, which involves using adult fish as recipients. The obvious advantage of using adult fish as recipients is that the donor-derived gametes can be generated within a few months after stem cell transplantation, unlike using embryos or young hatchlings, which can take years to attain sexual maturity.

The use of adult fish as recipients in surrogate broodstock development offers several advantages. Firstly, it allows for the rapid generation of gametes, as the donor-derived cells can undergo meiosis and fertilization within a short period. This contrasts with the traditional method of using embryos or young hatchlings, which can take several years to develop into sexually mature individuals. Secondly, using adult fish as recipients eliminates the need for extensive rearing and breeding efforts, as the adult fish can already be maintained in captivity and are well-adapted to the environmental conditions. This reduces the time and resources required for seed production, making it more cost-effective and efficient.

Surrogate broodstock development has been successfully applied in various fish species, including salmon, tuna, and marlin. In these cases, adult fish are used as recipients to produce eggs and sperm that are then used for artificial insemination or fertilization. The resulting offspring are raised in controlled environments until they reach the desired size for commercial production.

While surrogate broodstock development is a promising approach for generating seeds for aquaculture, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. One of the main challenges is the need for specialized facilities and equipment to maintain adult fish in captivity and facilitate stem cell transplantation. Additionally, there is a need for further research to improve the efficiency and success of surrogate broodstock development, as well as to explore other alternative methods for generating fish seeds.

In conclusion, the rapidly changing climatic conditions, habitat destruction, aquatic pollution, and increasing anthropogenic pressure on water bodies have posed significant threats to fish populations. Surrogate broodstock development using adult fish as recipients offers a viable solution to generate seeds for aquaculture, particularly for species that are too large to propagate in captivity or those that do not respond to hormonal treatments. By leveraging the advantages of adult fish as recipients, we can enhance species diversification in aquaculture and contribute to the sustainable development of the marine industry.

Weight: 328g
Dimension: 163 x 240 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367564049