Improving the Production Efficiency
and Sustainability of Morone and Other Warmwater Species Culture

SCIENTISTS:

OBJECTIVES:

Objective 1. Develop and refine year-round production of hybrid striped bass fingerlings through photothermal, dietary, and culture manipulation.

Objective 2. Increase hybrid striped bass production efficiency through physiological control of stress, gender, and hormonal growth factors.

Objective 3. Increase hybrid striped bass production efficiency by refining nutrient requirements, manipulating feeding strategy and diet nutrient density, and reducing fish meal and oil content.

Objective 4. Improve performance efficiency of important warmwater species by optimizing management practices.

Objective 5. Evaluate blue/channel hybrid catfish production characteristics.

Objective 6. Improve grading, harvesting and transport technologies for warmwater fish.

PROJECT GOAL:

The goal of this project is to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the United Statesstriped bass and hybrid striped bass industry (fish from the taxonomic group Morone) by addressing the following key bottlenecks:

* Lack of year-round production of eggs and fry

* High production costs in pond and tank systems

* Losses due to stress and gender-related inefficiencies in growth and feed conversion

* High cost of feeds and the limited supply of key ingredients (e.g. fish meal and oils)

* High variability in commercially important traits, e.g.-growth, feed conversion, stress resistance, etc.)