LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE CRYOPRESERVATION OF TURBOT (PSETTA-MAXIMA) SPERMATOZOA

The survival of turbot eggs and the rearing capacities of larvae stemm ed from artificial fertilization practices using frozen-thawed spermat ozoa were evaluated. Furthermore, the viability of sperm samples store d during a 9 month period in liquid nitrogen was assessed. No signific ant difference in the fertilization rate, hatching rate, survival and wet weight of 10-day old larvae were observed using fresh or frozen-th awed spermatozoa. The motility recorded at 10 s and 60 s post-activati on and the fertilization capacity of frozen-thawed spermatozoa were no t significantly decreased during a 9 month storage period in liquid ni trogen. These results confirm the high quality of the turbot spermatoz oa stemmed from the cryopreservation process, allowing their use for r outine aquaculture practices. (C) Ifremer-Elsevier, Paris.