Competitive spawning success and fertility of triploid male Atlantic cod Gadus morhua

Farmed Atlantic cod Gadus morhua have been hypothesized to pose a risk to the natural environment through escape of fish or release of their gametes from sea cages. The use of sterile triploids has been suggested as a way to prevent spawning of farmed fish, whether escaped from their cages or still contained within them. This laboratory study examined the reproductive potential of triploid male Atlantic cod, both in vivo and in vitro. We demonstrated that triploid males in competitive, size-matched mating with diploid males were successful at siring young. Spermatozoa produced by triploid males were larger than those of diploids, but did not differ in swimming velocity or ability to fertilize eggs. Hatch and larval survival rates, however, were reduced for progeny of triploid males. These diagnostic characteristics of aneuploidy suggest that although farmed triploid male cod may compete successfully with wild diploids for spawning access to wild females, their offspring will not survive.