Theodore I. J. Smith

During 1984-1992, adult shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) from the Savannah River were spawned and their offspring reared to various sizes prior to release in this river as part of a stock enhancement program. A total of 79,270 untagged and 18,213 tagged fish were released at various sites from river kilometer (rkm) 54 to 273. Mid and upriver stocking areas appeared to provide higher survival than downriver areas and stocking during November and December appeared more beneficial than during other months. However, regardless of stocking time or site, all stocked juveniles that...

White bass (Morone chrysops) were reared to maturity and spawned in 2 consecutive years to evaluate their hatchery performance and potential for reuse. Egg production and hatching could not be statistically compared between 2- and 3-year-old fish due to estimation of size data and pooling of hatch data in 1994. Three-year-old virgin females had a mean production of 81,413 larvae/kg body weight and an egg hatching level of 62.9%. No statistical differences (P ≤ 0.05) in latency, egg and fry production, or hatching were detected between 3-year-old virgin and previously strip-spawned fish....

The striped bass (Morone saxatilis) x white bass (M. chrysops) hybrid is widely stocked to support recreational fishing and is of interest as a commercial aquaculture candidate. Nevertheless, there is little information concerning the relative performance of these hybrids in various salinities. A replicated 126-day study compared growth, survival, standing crop, and feed conversion ofjuvenile hybrid bass (mean size 5.8 g) reared under controlled conditions at 0, 7, 14,21, 28, and 35 ppt salinity. Results indicated that growth was similar at all salinities and that fish survival was high (...

Shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, range from Canada to Florida and are listed as an endangered species in the United States. During 1985, a cooperative state/federal program focused on development of nursery systems for production of stockable size juveniles. Mortality was high (80%) during the first 2-3 months of tank rearing trials in spite of the use of various disease control agents and differing culture techniques. However, once a size of -180 mm T.L. (30 g) was attained, mortality essentially ceased. Indoor intensive tank systems were more suitable than ponds for producing...

Controlled spawning techniques for cultured striped bass (Morone saxatilis) to produce striped bass and striped bass/white bass (M. chrysops) hybrids were demonstrated. Some striped bass males matured at age 2 while almost all were mature by age 3 (mean weight 2.3 kg, 550 mm TL). In contrast, no female striped bass were mature at age 2 and only 16% were ripe at age 3 (3.4 kg, 623 mm TL). By age 4, an estimated 59% of the females were mature (4.9 kg, 692 mm TL). In 1985 and 1986, striped bass were conditioned using controlled temperatures and photoperiod regimes to spawn 1-3 months before...

Natural and induced production of striped bass hybrids was examined under controlled tank conditions. Four culture female F1 hybrid bass (striped bass, Morone saxatalis x white bass, M. chrysops) received human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and ovulated, but only 2 spawned eggs. These eggs, deposited in fresh water, were fertilized by HCG-treated cultured male F1 hybrids. One untreated (no HCG) female F1 hybrid which was paired with 2 untreated male F1 hybrids and held in brackish water (13 ppt salinity) also tank spawned and fertilized eggs were produced. This is the first documented case...

There is growing interest in the United States to develop fish farming operations using striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and or its hybrids. In South Carolina an aquaculture model was developed to allow production of pan-size (300-450 g) striped and white bass hybrids within a year. Brood fish are grown in captivity, matured, and spawned out-of-season using controlled environment systems. Small juveniles are produced early in indoor intensive nursery systems for stocking of grow-out facilities at the onset of suitable outdoor rearing conditions. Testing of model components indicated that...