Experience in reproduction and cultivation of pike (Esox lucius) stocking material in industrial environments of fish farms of Kazakhstan

Importance of the industrial aquaculture development in Kazakhstan is evident nowadays due to a sharp decline in the commercial fish stocks. Pike is of special interest, as it is considered a target of aquaculture cultivation in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Pike is reproduced and cultivated in industrial environments of fish farms of Kazakhstan for the first time. According to the conducted researches, a scheme of technological processes for reproduction and cultivation of the pike has been developed in the industrial environments of Bukhtarma Spawning and Breeding Farm, LLP. The scheme included catching pike producers, adaptation in hatchery tanks, valuation of quality of pike breeders and separation by gender, stimulation of spawning pikes by pituitary injections; getting sexual products through the industrial method; degumming of eggs in the Weiss incubators using starch emulsion, incubation of pike eggs in the incubators of Amur type. Pike juveniles have been reared in the fish-breeding tanks (basins and Amur incubators). In 20 days of rearing pike juveniles reached the average weight of 120 mg. Growing the pike stocking material was performed in tanks (recirculation aquaculture systems). In 90 days yearlings reached the average weight of 19.5 g due to the artificial feed. The conducted researches describe the fundamental possibility to reproduce and cultivate pike stocking material artificially in the industrial environments of the fish farms of Kazakhstan. Theoretical and practical grounds were given to fish farmers to apply biotechnical methods to reproduce and cultivate the pike. The research results obtained will be used as the ground to make recommendations for artificial reproduction and cultivation of the pike stocking material in the current natural, climatic and economic conditions of Kazakhstan.