On Thursday the 7th of July Members of a European Union funded research team from France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta and Spain together with the commercial Tuna Farm Tuna Grasso S.A. based at La Azohia., Puerto de Mazarron, Spain have for the first time successfully used hormonal induction in brood stock of the Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus to obtain eggs and sperm. In- vitro fertilization was successfully carried out and viable tuna larvae have been produced. These are developing at the Instituto Español de OceanografÃa (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Planta de Cultivos Marinos, Puerto de Mazarron, Spain.
This is the most important step in controlling the life cycle of the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna as it proves that Bluefin tuna is able to mature in captivity and produce viable eggs and sperm for successful fertilization. Bluefin tuna fishing stocks are at a very critical level. This must be the first answer to the tremendous political, social and environmental pressure to save the Bluefin Tuna from extinction.
The members of the Reproduction and Domestication of Thunnus thynnus (REPRODOTT) consortium are convinced that this project represents one of the last chances to save the species by establishing the possibility of raising domesticated fish in captivity which in turn allows the regulation of tuna fishing intensity to manage the endangered wild stock for the shared benefits of future generations, be they fishermen/growers, consumers and conservationists and at the same time provide viable larvae for future needs in understanding of bluefin tuna biology.
Tuna Eggs Stripped from a Female Fish 18:20 07.07.2005
Tuna embryo´s at 07:40 08.07.2005
Tuna Larva 01:15 09.07.2005
Tuna larva 19:03 09.07.2005
