VNIRO restores genetic diversity of sturgeon fish species

 

Artificial reproduction of sturgeon species of fish in the Volga-Caspian fishery basin is currently carried out through the use of broodstocks created at fish farms, the genetic resource of which is gradually being depleted.

 

The use of genetically heterogeneous samples of sturgeon sperm from the cryobank collection for fertilization of eggs will help preserve the gene pool of rare and endangered species. Of particular importance in preserving the genetic diversity of sturgeons are beluga and stellate sturgeon, the natural populations of which are in a tense state.

 

The staff of the Volga-Caspian branch of the Russian State Research Center "All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography" (VNIRO) and the branch for freshwater fisheries (VNIIPRKh) have been working together for several years on the use of cryopreserved sperm for fertilizing beluga and stellate sturgeon eggs of the broodstock of the scientific and experimental aquaculture complex (NEKA) "BIOS".

 

Based on the results of molecular genetic analysis of sperm samples of beluga and stellate sturgeon females, the coefficients of genetic relationship were calculated and optimal schemes were selected to exclude inbreeding, which is necessary to obtain offspring with a gene pool corresponding to the natural one. In the cryopreserved beluga sperm samples from the VNIIPRKh cryobank, an allele lost in the Caspian beluga under modern conditions was registered.

 

The obtained young beluga and stellate sturgeon were distinguished by high fish-breeding and biological indicators: survival, size and weight parameters, growth rates, etc. The success of this work is the obtained offspring, which inherited rare alleles of the natural population, which confirms the effectiveness of the work.

 

A new stage of this work has begun on the basis of the NEKA "BIOS", which consists in the formation of a unique herd of beluga and stellate sturgeon obtained using cryosperm and is a labor-intensive joint work of researchers and fish farmers

 

The offspring of beluga and stellate sturgeon were transferred to the replacement herd of the NEKA "BIOS", where they became part of the Unique Scientific Installation "Bioresource Collection of VBR" of VNIRO.

 

The maintenance and cultivation is carried out under strict control of fish-breeding and biological and physiological indicators of all fish.

 

During the current summer season, the biomass of beluga and stellate sturgeon offspring has increased by more than 30%, and their physiological condition, according to research data, corresponds to the age of the fish and indicates good fattening conditions. All individuals were assigned individual tags for further monitoring of growth rates, physiological condition and other biological indicators.

 

The unique herd of beluga and stellate sturgeon that is being formed at the NEKA "BIOS" of the Unique Scientific Installation "Bioresource Collection of VBR" of VNIRO will allow obtaining viable, genetically diverse offspring for release into the natural habitat.

 

Press Service of VNIRO