Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen

Initial success in sperm cryopreservation occurred at about the same time for aquatic species and livestock. However, in the 50 plus years since then cryopreserved sperm of livestock has grown into a billion-dollar global industry, while cryopreserved sperm of aquatic species remains a research acti...

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Main Author: Terrence R. Tiersch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia 2008-07-01
Series:Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-35982008001300003
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author Terrence R. Tiersch
author_facet Terrence R. Tiersch
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description Initial success in sperm cryopreservation occurred at about the same time for aquatic species and livestock. However, in the 50 plus years since then cryopreserved sperm of livestock has grown into a billion-dollar global industry, while cryopreserved sperm of aquatic species remains a research activity with little commercial application despite work in more than 90 species and more than 200 published reports. Most research work has focused on large-bodied culture and sport fishes, such as salmon, trout, carp, and catfish, and mollusks such as commercially important oyster and abalone species. However, only a few studies have addressed sperm cryopreservation in small fishes such as zebrafish, or in endangered species. Overall, this work has yielded techniques that are being applied with varied levels of success around the world. Barriers to expanded application include a diverse and widely distributed literature base, technical problems, small sperm volumes, variable results, a general lack of access to the technology, and most importantly, a lack of standardization in practices and reporting. The benefits of cryopreservation include at least five levels of improvements for existing industries and for creation of new industries. First, cryopreservation can be used to improve existing hatchery operations by providing sperm on demand and simplifying the timing of induced spawning. Second, frozen sperm can enhance efficient use of facilities and create new opportunities in the hatchery by eliminating the need to maintain live males, potentially freeing resources for use with females and larvae. Third, valuable genetic lineages such as endangered species, research models or improved farmed strains can be protected by storage of frozen sperm. Fourth, cryopreservation opens the door for rapid genetic improvement. Frozen sperm can be used in breeding programs to create improved lines and shape the genetic resources available for aquaculture. Finally, cryopreserved sperm of aquatic species will at some point become an entirely new industry itself. A successful industry will require integrated practices for sample collection, refrigerated storage, freezing, thawing, rules for use and disposal, transfer agreements, and database development. Indeed the development of this new industry is constrained by factors including the technical requirements for scaling-up to commercial operations during the transition from research, and the absence of uniform quality control practices, industry standards, and appropriate biosecurity safeguards.
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spelling doaj.art-9ec48e7a1cc1455d995c3b94f47578692022-12-22T02:51:32ZengSociedade Brasileira de ZootecniaRevista Brasileira de Zootecnia1516-35981806-92902008-07-0137spe151910.1590/S1516-35982008001300003Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semenTerrence R. TierschInitial success in sperm cryopreservation occurred at about the same time for aquatic species and livestock. However, in the 50 plus years since then cryopreserved sperm of livestock has grown into a billion-dollar global industry, while cryopreserved sperm of aquatic species remains a research activity with little commercial application despite work in more than 90 species and more than 200 published reports. Most research work has focused on large-bodied culture and sport fishes, such as salmon, trout, carp, and catfish, and mollusks such as commercially important oyster and abalone species. However, only a few studies have addressed sperm cryopreservation in small fishes such as zebrafish, or in endangered species. Overall, this work has yielded techniques that are being applied with varied levels of success around the world. Barriers to expanded application include a diverse and widely distributed literature base, technical problems, small sperm volumes, variable results, a general lack of access to the technology, and most importantly, a lack of standardization in practices and reporting. The benefits of cryopreservation include at least five levels of improvements for existing industries and for creation of new industries. First, cryopreservation can be used to improve existing hatchery operations by providing sperm on demand and simplifying the timing of induced spawning. Second, frozen sperm can enhance efficient use of facilities and create new opportunities in the hatchery by eliminating the need to maintain live males, potentially freeing resources for use with females and larvae. Third, valuable genetic lineages such as endangered species, research models or improved farmed strains can be protected by storage of frozen sperm. Fourth, cryopreservation opens the door for rapid genetic improvement. Frozen sperm can be used in breeding programs to create improved lines and shape the genetic resources available for aquaculture. Finally, cryopreserved sperm of aquatic species will at some point become an entirely new industry itself. A successful industry will require integrated practices for sample collection, refrigerated storage, freezing, thawing, rules for use and disposal, transfer agreements, and database development. Indeed the development of this new industry is constrained by factors including the technical requirements for scaling-up to commercial operations during the transition from research, and the absence of uniform quality control practices, industry standards, and appropriate biosecurity safeguards.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-35982008001300003Aquatic speciesCryopreservationGermplasmRepositories
spellingShingle Terrence R. Tiersch
Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen
Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia
Aquatic species
Cryopreservation
Germplasm
Repositories
title Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen
title_full Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen
title_fullStr Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen
title_full_unstemmed Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen
title_short Strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen
title_sort strategies for commercialization of cryopreserved fish semen
topic Aquatic species
Cryopreservation
Germplasm
Repositories
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-35982008001300003
work_keys_str_mv AT terrencertiersch strategiesforcommercializationofcryopreservedfishsemen