Growth, Survival, and Harvest of Striped Bass Produced with Cryopreserved Spermatozoa

Abstract

Spermatozoa from striped bass Morone saxatilis were cryopreserved, stored in liquid nitrogen (-196°C), and later used to fertilize fresh eggs. Progeny from eggs fertilized with cryopreserved sperm and those from eggs fertilized with fresh sperm were stocked separately in triplicate 0.4-hectare and triplicate 0.2-hectare culture ponds at estimated densities of 500,000 larvae per hectare. Juveniles were harvested after 1.5 months. Within each pond size, the number and total weight of juveniles harvested did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between treatments (frozen versus fresh sperm). Nearly all fish were healthy; few abnormalities were seen. Results of this study indicated that striped bass produced with cryopreservation techniques were normal and they appeared as viable as fish produced using fresh sperm. We believe that these techniques have considerable potential for fish husbandry, particularly for experimental programs.