Chungnam Fisheries Institute Conducts Advanced Sturgeon Aquaculture Training

Broodstock Management and Surgical Sex Identification in Practice

The Freshwater Fish Center at the Chungnam Provincial Institute of Fisheries Resources is taking the lead in the sturgeon aquaculture industry.

According to the center on May 14, it conducted an "on-site immersion advanced technical training" program for 70 days from February to April for trainees who wish to engage in sturgeon aquaculture.

Sturgeon aquaculture has seen little industrial development so far, as it generally takes about seven years to produce caviar, which is the main source of income.

However, recent research has found that a component known as PDRN (Polydeoxyribonucleotide), previously extracted from salmon testes and known to aid in cell regeneration, vascular regeneration, and skin care, can also be obtained from the testes of male sturgeon. As a result, there has been a significant increase in inquiries from aquaculture farms in the province seeking technical guidance on sturgeon farming.

PDRN is a bio-derived substance composed of nucleic acid fragments and is known to be applicable in cosmetics and medical products.

The center began on-site immersion advanced training for technology transfer last year, and both last year and this year, it has transferred related technologies and helped establish the foundations for sturgeon aquaculture to fishers in the province who wish to farm sturgeon.

For the training, the center provided the facilities and venues for all stages free of charge, while trainees were responsible for costs such as medicines, feed, and consumables.

The main training content covered the entire sturgeon aquaculture process, including broodstock management, surgical sex identification and sexual maturity assessment, fertilization and hatching management, and the care of juvenile sturgeon.

After the training, the center delivered approximately 50,000 juvenile sturgeon to the trainees and also provided technical guidance to help them establish themselves stably in the sturgeon aquaculture industry.

No Kwangheon, head of the Freshwater Fish Center at the Chungnam Provincial Institute of Fisheries Resources, said, "I hope the results of our aquaculture research will be helpful to fishers," and added, "We will continue to strive to provide a variety of training opportunities to fishers and prospective fishers who wish to participate in on-site immersion advanced training, not only for sturgeon but also for other species."