The fish was obtained as part of an experiment using cryopreserved sperm, a joint effort between the Volga‑Caspian and the VNIRO Freshwater Fisheries branch.
The scientists used samples from a cryobank harvested when sturgeon populations were in a healthy state.: This makes it possible to preserve genetic diversity and maintain the gene pool of rare species. Of particular importance is the work with the beluga and sturgeon — their natural populations are on the verge of extinction today. With the help of molecular genetic analysis, the specialists selected crossing patterns that exclude closely related breeding, and were able to pass on rare alleles that had already been lost in the wild.
The resulting juveniles were distinguished by high fish‑breeding and biological indicators — survival, growth rates, size and mass parameters ‑ and, most importantly, genetic diversity. Now these offspring are part of VNIRO's Unique scientific facility "Bioresource Collection of UBR", and their cultivation is carried out under strict control of physiological and fish—breeding parameters.
To maintain the diversity of the breeding stock, breeding work was carried out: individuals matching fish breeding criteria were selected according to the phenotype. The northern grouse, which was not included in the breeding stock, was released to replenish the natural population.
VNIRO Press Service
