Trends in aquaculture and conservation of sturgeons: a review of molecular and cytogenetic tools

Abstract

Sturgeons are the most primitive, endangered groups of vertebrates on the planet and often referred to as ‘living fossils’. Their natural populations are decreasing due to habitat destruction, blockage of spawning migration, pollution and overexploitation for their expensive black caviar and boneless meat. Currently, existing populations have little chance to survive without artificial breeding and sustainable ranching programmes. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is regulating international trade of all Acipenseriformes and their products for effective conservation. The aim of this review paper was to describe the main innovative applications in sturgeon aquaculture and conservation, such as genome engineering techniques applied in sturgeon’s reproduction, molecular and ploidy analyses of embryo and larvae, sex determination, genome sequencing, gene expression analysis and genome transplantations. Further research is required to improve cryopreservation techniques, embryo banking and quick identification of disease in sturgeon aquaculture and conservation programme.