Regulated Sex Control in Commercially Important Fishes - A Physiological Perspective

Introduction Developments in the management of fish reproduction have had major impacts on the growth of aquaculture. The capability to spawn fishes under controlled conditions ensures an adequate supply of young for growout, whether for food or stocking (Zohar, 1989; Yaron and Zohar, 1993). Artificial propagation techniques have facilitated worldwide introduction of important species by removing the geographic constraint of culturing only within their native range (Shelton and Rothbard, 2006). The application of this technology is epitomized by the Chinese carps (Opuszynski and Shireman, 1995), but, even for species such as common carp that will reproduce under most culture conditions, induced ovulation has permitted more efficient management and thereby provided greatly enhanced capacity to perform manipulations and conduct breeding programs (Hulata,