UNAIR NEWS – Sturgeon, one of the existing ancient fish species and a member of the Acipenseridae family, is renowned for producing caviar. The natural reproductive cycle of sturgeon is slow, requiring mature females to wait at least ten years before spawning. This slow reproduction, coupled with the high value of sturgeon caviar, makes the species prone to overexploitation.
Natural production decline
Professor Dorota Fopp-Byat highlighted that the natural production of sturgeon in Poland has been steadily declining. Various invasive fish species that are not native to the area have disrupted the ecosystem, further aggravated by increasing water pollution in Poland’s river systems.
“Water pollution has pushed several sturgeon populations to the brink of extinction and significantly disrupted natural caviar production,” stated the academic from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland.
Despite these challenges, sturgeon production has been increasing through aquaculture. With the right feed, temperature, and water characteristics, sturgeon can start spawning at the age of five. However, species like the Siberian sturgeon still have a longer reproductive cycle, taking up to seven years.
Genetic analysis application
Using an optimal model can enhance the quality of caviar production from sturgeon. The long reproductive process of natural sturgeon varieties increases production costs, making genetic analysis an ideal approach for aquaculture.
“Applying genetic analysis can develop new genetic variations, reducing the risks of hybridization, inbreeding, and loss of genetic diversity in new generations,” explained Prof. Fopp-Byat.
In effective aquaculture, sturgeon must be sexed and cared for until maturity. In adulthood, one male can mate with three females, making early sex differentiation important, although sex identification can only begin at three years old.
“The solution lies in applying chromosome manipulation or gynogenesis,” she said.
These insights were shared during a guest lecture titled “Sturgeons, Aquaculture, Genetics, and Conservation” by the Aquaculture Study Program at the Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Natural Sciences (FIKKIA) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) Banyuwangi. The event took place in the Meeting Room at the Giri Campus on Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Author: Azhar Burhanuddin Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
