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Interest in restocking, dates back to the end of the 19^th century when

hatcheries in Europe and the USA released millions of newly hatched marine fish larvae  to the sea in the hope of enhancing declining fish stocks. These early attempts did not have any impact on stock decline but did stimulate the development of technology to feed larvae in hatcheries and mass rear juveniles, the first successes were achieved in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Since this time  application of this technology has been used to develop aquaculture rather than enhance fisheries.

  There are however some important examples of successful restocking programs which are helping to sustain important fisheries. The salmon stocks in the Pacific Northwest of the USA are largely sustained by a hatchery program which releases 120 million smolts annually. The continuing exploitation of the sturgeon stocks in the Caspian sea is possible due to a restocking program which has been operated by  Russia and Iran for the past 50 years  and currently  releases 70 million fingerlings annually. In Japan in 1999 over 30 million juveniles of flatfish were released into coastal waters.

Europe’s fisheries are increasingly threatened by a dwindling resource. Hatcheries could play a role in mass producing the fry needed for restocking programs, but key issues need to be addressed such as economic rates of return, reduction of genetic diversity and impact on the ecosystem. Fish stock enhancement programs merit further research and development to determine how modern aquaculture technology could be linked to helping sustain our fisheries.

Dr Alan Jones is Managing Director of two companies farming Siberian sturgeon ( Acipenser baerii) in the south west of France; STURGEON SCEA of which the main activity is caviar and meat production and ECLOSERIE DE GUYENNE S.A. a hatchery producing sturgeon fingerlings.

Dr Jones has been involved in the aquaculture industry for 35 years. He pioneered work on the farming of turbot, and for 20 years was concerned  with  the industrial development  of that species before becoming involved with sturgeon in 1995.

He was President of the European Aquaculture Society in 1984-85 and served as a board member of the World Aquaculture Society.

Contact Details: alan.jones@kaviar.com