PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF EGGS OBTAINED FROM WOLFFISH (ANARHICHAS-LUPUS L) REARED IN CAPTIVITY

Maturation of females and ovulation of eggs of common wolffish, Anarhi chas lupus L., were followed during the spawning season from 10 Octobe r 1992 to 28 July 1993. The broodstock was reared from larvae in the l aboratory. Most females matured from the middle of December to the mid dle of March at water temperatures of 5.0-8.0-degrees-C. A total of 15 3 577 eggs from 47 females were stripped and artificially inseminated. Of these eggs, 70.6% were fertilized, but only 41.0% showed normal cl eavage. Nine females had high proportions (more than 80%) of normally cleaved eggs. Fertilized but abnormally cleaved eggs were observed in almost all females, with an average proportion of 30%. There was no di fference in quality of eggs obtained by internal and external artifici al insemination or from females that demonstrated spawning behaviour a nd females without it. Survival of eggs from different females correla ted to the proportion of normally cleaved eggs. The causes of poor egg quality are discussed as well as related morphology and size-frequenc y distribution of eggs.