Spawning, fry production and hybridization technologies for producing walleye for foodfish and stocking

Walleye are a highly valued foodfish and sportfish in the North Central region of the US. The overall goal of our project is to test the feasibility of combining selected new technologies for the commercial production of walleye for food fish and for advanced fingerlings for stocking. For foodfish production, we propose to determine the feasibility of using hybridization together with intensive, in-tank fry-fingerling culture to produce food size walleye in one growing season in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). We will compare the growth and performance of purebred versus hybrid walleye, and document the production parameters of raising hybrid walleye to food size in a single year. For advanced fingerling production, will determine the extent to which advanced spawning and intensive, in-tank fry-fingerling culture can be used in conjunction with traditional pond culture or RAS to produce advanced walleye for stocking recreational fisheries. Specifically, we will compare the survival, growth, and quality of advanced-spawned versus normal spawned fish raised in ponds versus RAS. The development of an aquaculture industry in the North Central region based on RAS has been constrained by the lack of profitability and by the slow growth rates of percid fishes in these systems. We are convinced that one or more of the technologies that we propose to test will lead to new, profitable aquaculture strategies in the North Central region. Our project will increase domestic seafood production and reduce our reliance on imported seafood products.