Second international workshop pikeperch unites aquaculture specialists

From 17-21 September 2018, EPFC organized the second edition of the international hands-on workshop in off-season reproduction of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca). This event was hosted and facilitated by Inagro, an agricultural research and consulting organization based in Belgium. Two top experts in reproduction of pikeperch came to Inagro to teach an international group of participants the tricks of the trade. Now, each participant has the necessary knowledge and skills to artificially reproduce pikeperch outside of the natural season.

Exclusive group of participants

For five days, eight participants from Belgium, Switzerland, Israel and Germany were present at Inagro’s aquaculture department. All the participants in the workshop are active as hatchery managers in a fish farm or working in aquaculture research centres.

In the morning, the participants took part in the theoretical segment of the workshop by international experts Daniel Zarski (UWM, Poland) and Uroš Ljubobratovic (NARIC HAKI, Hungary). In the afternoon, during the practical part of the workshop, the participants got the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired during the theoretical segment with the preparation and handling of pikeperch broodstock for the artificial reproduction.
After five intensive days, the participants are now able to artificially reproduce pikeperch outside of its natural season. The main topics learned during the workshop are:

  • Selection of broodstock
  • Protocol for off-season reproduction: light and temperature regimen
  • Artificial spawning stimulation with hormones
  • Follow-up of gonad development
  • Determination of sperm and egg quality
  • Egg fertilization and development
  • Removal of egg adhesiveness with different methods
  • Larvae development after hatching

Immediate results

At the start of the workshop the participants discovered how Inagro prepared the broodstock with controlled light regime, water temperature and feeding. With this protocol it was possible to obtain mature fish (females and males) ready to reproduce during the week of the workshop. Thereafter, the participants were introduced to evaluating the gonadal maturation stage and administering hormonal regulators to induce completion of the maturation and spawning.
From then onward, the females where checked every three hours (also during night) in order to see the gonadal development. This way, the eggs were collected on time for fertilization. After the artificial insemination, pikeperch eggs are surrounded by adhesive layer which must be removed prior to the incubation process to avoid eggs clumping. The adhesiveness of eggs was removed using two different methods: application of tanic acid and with a mix of clay and milk.

After this process, the eggs were incubated at 16 °C water temperature in McDonald hatching jars. One week later, more than 500.000 larvae successfully hatched. That's 200.000 more than last year, a huge success!

International collaboration

This workshop is an activity under the umbrella of the EPFC of European Percid Fish Culture. In 2012 Inagro established this thematic group together with a German and Czech partner. EPFC made a documentary about the reproduction of pikeperch. A big part of the movie was filmed in the aquaculture department of Inagro. Did you miss the workshop? Then you can watch the documentary to learn about the reproduction of Pike perch.

Watch the documentary of EPFC about Pike perch reproduction.

Participants workshop Inagro 2018

Participants workshop Inagro 2018

Control of Gamets (every three hours)

Control of gametes (every three hours)

Ocyte stage identification


> Check out the complete image library of the workshop.

published 25 September 2018