Abstract
Simple SummaryMeagre is an emergent species in aquaculture, due to its fast growth rate, low feed conversion ratio, and the high quality of the product. Although advances have been achieved in its management, reproduction, and feeding, breeding programs have not yet been developed. For this reason, this study aimed to provide information about the genetic variations in growth, morphology traits, and flesh chemical composition to be included in a selective breeding program, studied in two different housing systems (cage and tank). Heritabilities for growth and morphology traits, and for fillet fat percentage were medium, revealing those traits as a possible selection criterion in a breeding program. Image analysis provided a great amount of objective information regarding the different morphological traits of the fish, where a positive and high correlation with growth traits was observed. Positive phenotypic correlation between fillet fat percentage and body weight was observed, so a selection process to improve growth rate could lead to a fish with higher fillet fat percentage.Meagre (Argyrosomus regius) plays an important role in the aquaculture system, with the potential for diversification of European aquaculture, and is characterized by its fast growth rate, low feed conversion ratio, and the high quality of the product. Focusing on the relevance of meagre, the aim of the study was to analyze growth performance, fish morphology, and flesh composition phenotypically and genetically to be considered as a strategy in a breeding program. For this purpose, 633 fish were raised in two different housing systems, in sea cages or in a continental tank, and when they reached harvest size, manual growth traits, automatic morphology by the image analysis program IMAFISH_ML, and flesh chemical composition (fat, protein, moisture, and collagen percentages) were measured. The fish reared in the cages showed a higher body weight and fillet fat percentage than those in the tank. Heritabilities for growth and morphology traits, and for fillet fat percentage were medium, revealing these traits as a possible selection criterion in a breeding program. Phenotypic and genetic correlations between growth and morphology traits were positive and high. Phenotypic correlations between growth or morphology traits with fillet fat percentage were positive and medium; genetic correlations were not estimated accurately.
Highlights
The meagre (Argyrosomus regius) is one of the most important fish in the diversification of Mediterranean aquaculture [1]. It is a teleost fish of the Sciaenidae family which can be found along the Atlantic coast of Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, and the east coast of Africa, at depths of between 15 and 200 m [2]
The fish reared in the cage showed higher Body weight (BW) (38% heavier than the average), total length (TL), SL, CPH, and FHC (15, 16, 15, and 18% greater than the average, respectively), than those in the tank
Attention should be paid to the housing conditions for raising the fish, as the fish in the tank showed worse results for growth, and breeders are typically kept in tanks
Summary
The meagre (Argyrosomus regius) is one of the most important fish in the diversification of Mediterranean aquaculture [1] It is a teleost fish of the Sciaenidae family which can be found along the Atlantic coast of Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, and the east coast of Africa, at depths of between 15 and 200 m [2]. Meagre has an important role in the aquaculture system, as a potential species for diversification of European aquaculture, with its annual production in the Mediterranean area exceeding 41,000 tons [4]. This species is easy to adapt to captivity due to its tolerance to a wide range of salinity (5–39%) and temperature (13–28 ◦ C) [2].
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