Spawning induction and seed production of Eastern little tuna, Euthynnus affinis (Cantor, 1849), in the post- and pre-spawning seasons by hormonal treatment in a semi-closed recirculation system with elevated temperature

Abstract

We previously established a method for spawning induction in Eastern little tuna (ELT) Euthynnus affinis (Cantor, 1849) by administering a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) during the natural spawning season in Japan (August–October). In order to establish seed production of ELT in the off-spawning season, we first conducted three spawning induction trials by GnRHa administration from October 2011 to January 2012 using ELT broodstock (2 years old; three females and four males) maintained in a 10-m3 tank with a semi-closed recirculation system and static elevated temperature. Average water temperature and daily egg production in three trials lasting 11–15 days were 27.0 ± 0.09°C and 268 173 eggs (Trial 1), 27.0 ± 0.11°C and 277 9098 eggs (Trial 2), and 25.5 ± 0.39°C and 291 113 eggs (Trial 3) respectively. Mean fertilization rate and mean hatching rate were 70.4% and 60.5% (Trial 1), 83.9% and 79.6% (Trial 2), and 62.5% and 57.4% (Trial 3) respectively. We also succeeded in producing ELT larvae in the pre-spawning season (April–July), although the quantity and quality of larvae produced were inferior to those produced in other calendar months. In trials involving periodic GnRHa administration during the off-spawning seasons, hatched larvae were obtained in the 10-m3 tank after six of nine administrations in the 2011–2012 off-spawning season and in 16 of 19 administrations in the 2012–2013 off-spawning season. The findings of this study demonstrated that hormonal treatment and thermal control could be used to extend the spawning period in ELT, potentially allowing larval production in the post- and pre-spawning seasons.