The Status of Artificial Propagation of Endemic and Exotic Farmed Sturgeon Species in Iran

Many works have been done on sturgeon rearing and propagation during the last towdecades and now there are many endemic and exotic sexually-matured sturgeonbroodstocks for artificial propagation in Iran. Successful artificial propagation insturgeon is very important and essential part of larvae and fingerlings production,caviar obtaining and meat production because of the decline of natural stocks. Someparameters in male and female such as sex maturation age, the size of breeders,quality and quantity of sperm and eggs and steroid hormone levels are differentbetween natural and farmed sturgeon species and even between various sturgeonrearing complexes in Iran because of different environmental and nutritionalconditions. Artificial propagation of farmed sturgeon stated in International SturgeonResearch Institute in 2006 on Acipenser stellatus. By now, 45 and 16 Huso huso, 21and 4 Acipenser persicus, 2 and 4 Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, 37 and 18 of Acipensernudiventris 36 and 16 of Acipenser stellatus, 114 and 67 Acipenser baerii, 24 and143 Acipenser ruthenus, and 4 Bester of male and female, respectively, have beeninjected with GnRH and LHRH hormone and dopamine in some species. The age ofbreeders was different from 4 to 16 years old and their weight varied from 0.4 kg inA.ruthenus and 76 kg in Huso huso. Water temperature for propagation was differentfrom 11 to 22 °C depending on species. The egg diameter varied from 2 to 3.4 mmdepending on fish species. The minimum and maximum survival rate of larvae werefound in Huso huso and Acipenser barerii, respectively. At all fishes responded tohormone injection eggs were obtained using micro–incision without killing thebreeders. Now, The F1 farmed fingerlings and juvenile of these breeders exist indifferent governmental and private rearing complexes.

Keywords:

Iran , Artificial propagation , Farmed sturgeon , Endemic , Exotic