SPAWNING HISTORY OF broodstock Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares AND IMPROVED METHOLOGY FOR THEIR CAPTURE AND MAINTENANCE
Achotines Laboratory is the only research facility in the world with captive broodstock tuna that have been spawning on a near daily basis for nearly two decades. Yellowfin tuna collected from local coastal waters at 1 year of age and held in a 1,300 m3 in-ground concrete tank were reared to reproductive size in 6-9 months. A summary of the spawning activity, since it began in late 1996, will be presented.
As part of a joint 5-year Kinki University-Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission-Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panama research project being conducted under the SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development), equipment and methodology in several areas of broodstock yellowfin tuna capture, transfer, and maintenance were improved. The following topics will be discussed:
∙βDesign components of a purpose-built vessel for tuna capture and transport as well as changes in methodology developed through use of this vessel
∙βMinor modifications to the main broodstock tank to improve collection of eggs spawned by the yellowfin tuna broodstock
∙βModifications made to a 170 m3 in-ground concrete tank designed to test the feasibility of holding yellowfin tuna broodstock to maturity in a much smaller tank