Reproduction of a Domestic Striped Bass Brood Stock

Abstract

Abstract Fingerlings of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were reared to sexual maturity in tanks, during which time they were fed only commercial trout and salmon diets. Spawning trials were conducted with two of the 6-year-old domestic females. They ovulated after being injected with 330 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) per kilogram of body weight, and their eggs were manually stripped and fertilized with the milt from four HCG-injected males (150 IU/kg body weight). Approximately 41% of the eggs were fertilized. Aside from accidental losses or deliberate cropping of the population, no significant mortality of the progeny was observed after they hatched. The larvae were fed live brine shrimp (Artemia sp.) for 30 d after hatching and then adapted to commercial salmon or trout diets. Several hundred of these F1 domestic brood stock have been reared for 3 years in intensive culture and most of the males are now sexually mature. These results conclusively demonstrate the viability of the progeny of domestic brood stock produced under intensive culture conditions and fed only dry commercial diets.