Abstract Burbot ( Lota lota ) are a promising candidate for commercial aquaculture production. Methods for captive culture are well understood, the species is highly regarded for its muscle, roe, liver, and skin, and its resistance to many salmonid pathogens coupled with the species' affinity to trout‐like water quality conditions make burbot an attractive and novel cool/cold‐water aquaculture species. Methods to store unfertilized burbot eggs and reliably and completely induce tetraploidy in a burbot cohort were investigated. After determining the respective first cleavage interval (FCI), three separate groups of burbot eggs were exposed to a hydrostatic shock of 7500 psi for 10 degree minutes (°C minutes) at 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100% FCI. To assess egg storage, unfertilized eggs from three separate females were collected and uniform groups were fertilized at 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h post removal from female. Utilizing a hydrostatic shock at 70% of the FCI resulted in 100% putative tetraploid induction, and survival was statistically similar ( p ≥ 0.05) to unshocked control eggs. Unfertilized eggs stored at 4°C for up to 24 h exhibited >25% relative survival at hatch relative to control eggs, fertilized directly after removal from the female. This research provides baseline data and a starting point for mass generation of burbot tetraploids. A tetraploid population capable of successful reproduction could simplify and improve production of sterile (triploid) fish by crossing tetraploid and triploid burbot. Additionally, findings presented here are the basis for further improving unfertilized burbot egg storage and may allow greater flexibility and ease in maintenance of maximum genetic diversity in a hatchery setting.
Oliver et al. (Wed,) studied this question.