Artificial reproduction of valuable fish in the Ob-Irtysh basin: increasing the country's aquatic wealth

 

Whitefish spawning traditionally began in October. Eggs from nelma and river peled spawners have already been collected. Currently, broad whitefish and muksun—the most abundant whitefish species at the farms—are spawning at the Volkovo and Kozinsky research and production sites.

 

Specialists collect hatchery eggs at the sites using two methods: traditional (manual) and ecological. For the latter, the fish are transferred to special cages equipped with collection systems. Spawning occurs as in nature, without human intervention. Fish farmers only need to collect the eggs and prepare them for incubation. The ecological method is unique in global practice and is currently used only for the artificial reproduction of Baikal omul and whitefish in the Ob-Irtysh basin.

 

All eggs collected from the broodstock are delivered in batches to the Tobolsky regional fish hatchery, another production unit of the Tyumen branch of VNIRO, where they will develop in Weiss tanks for six months. After hatching, the larvae will be transported to nursery ponds for rearing, from where they will be exposed to the vast expanses of Siberian rivers.

 

Replenishing endangered fish populations in the wild is currently impossible without artificial reproduction, its scientific support, and the creation of broodstock. Researchers at the Tyumen branch of VNIRO have developed biotechnical standards for raising whitefish spawners, developed methodological principles for feeding fish, and selected optimal feed formulations that take into account the impact on the digestive and reproductive systems.

 

Artificial reproduction is more effective than natural reproduction because it mitigates the risks that interfere with the development of juveniles in the wild. The young generation of fish enters the wild already strengthened and ready for independent life. Over the past five years, the Tyumen branch of VNIRO has released more than 900 million young fish of this valuable species into the rivers of the Ob-Irtysh basin.

 

 

VNIRO Press Service