It's all in the brain

PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Carp are been stimulated to breed to meet the growing demand for freshwater fish in the Highlands.

The huge demand for freshwater fish, especially carp, in the inland areas of Papua New Guinea has prompted the Highlands' Aquaculture Development Centre based in Aiyura, Eastern Highlands province to apply a unique reproduction technology.

The spawning experiment is a first for PNG and involves collecting hormones from the pituitary glands of the brains of mature carp and using them to stimulate sexual excitement between the sexes.

The aim is to increase productivity in the expanding inland fish farming industry, especially in the Highlands regions.

Kine Mufape, who runs HAQDEC, says pituitary gland spawning is unique to fish reproduction but is common in the artificial propagation of carp.

"The pituitary gland secretes two types of hormones, namely luteinizing hormone, or LH, which stimulates ovulation, and follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH, which promotes the development and maturity of the eggs and the follicles" Mr Mufuape said.

The process is relatively simple with the hormones ingested by the fish to stir up their sexual excitement and stimulate the release of sperm and eggs into the water to produce fingerlings.

Source: The National