Russian scientists enhanced pollock success with artificial hatching of cod eggs in Kamchatka

The scientists of Kamchatka Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography have successfully completed a unique experiment of hatching eggs of Pacific cod, the process including successful fertilization of the eggs at sea as well as daily monitoring of the growing embryos, reports http://www.fishnet-russia.com/ with reference to local mass media sources.

The only time similar projects were carried out in Russia took place in 1955. In the present project modern technologies helped to analyze and write the data of the whole process from the fertilized egg to larvae more thoroughly.

The aim of the experiment is the description of the embryogenesis of cod, investigation of its entire duration as well as duration of its separate stages in different temperature conditions.

Early stages of fish life are extremely interesting for investigations. Most scientists assume that abundance of future classes depends on their development at early stage. However, as for fish in the Northern part of the Pacific Ocean its early life stages have not been studied yet.

In 2008 the scientists of KamchatNIRO carried out a similar experiment with Russian pollock. The purpose of the investigations of pollock larvae, was to throw light upon early stages of Russian pollock's life cycle. The success of this experiment has triggered further development of the project to include Pacific cod.

The project has a huge practical potential on the world seafood market, as Pacific cod among other fish species of the Northern part of Pacific ocean, has big prospects as aquaculture product, because even in wild conditions cod acquires 1.5 kilo weight in 4 year life period.

Currently, the KamchatNIRO scientists plan to hatch the Russian pollock eggs for the second time in coldwater in the Sea of Okhotsk.