Cryopreservation of Fish Gametes and Its Role in Enhancing Aquaculture Production

Abstract

Worldwide there is a steady increase in the demand for fishes and there is also an increase in the fisheries production. However, the demand is expected to surpass the supply in the next decade and therefore there is a pressure to increase fish production, for which aquaculture might be a possible way. In aquaculture, seeds decide the survival and growth leading to production. The technology of cryopreservation has been considered useful for the successful breeding programmes through artificial fertilization and production of quality seeds. Application of the technology in fish breeding has received due attention in the recent days for the improvement of offspring quality and supply of fish fry throughout the year. Besides increasing the supply of seeds, cryopreservation can also help in the preservation and conservation of germ plasm and hybridization in fishes. Also there can be many advanced programmes like sperm bank, gene bank and gene mapping that can change the aquaculture production scenario with the production of highly preferred varieties of fishes and shellfishes. There can be improvement in the ornamental fish sector also with the cryopreservation of gametes and production of hybrids. In ornamental fish trade, hybrids always hijack the market and rule. Considering the importance of cryopreservation and its application in aquaculture, this chapter elaborates on how the technology can be effectively applied for the safe and effective preservation of fish spermatozoa and using it for artificial fertilization.