24
J. 1p. EHELBO’ITRNE
Blaxter and Hempel (1961) succeeded in rearing a few larval
herring from artificially fertilized eggs. About 6% of larvae which
survived beyond the yolk-sac stage (or 0-1 to 0.3% of hatched larvae)
metamorphosed when 30-35 mm long and 3-4 months old. Tanks
were 120-1. glazed stoneware crocks painted black, and the developing
firh were fed on natural plankton, Artemiu nauplii and MytiZus
trochophores. Rearing work on clupeid fishes hm been reviewed by
Blsxter and Holiday (1963) in the first volume of the present series
on recent advances in marine biology.
Useful technical information on marine fish rearing has also accrued
from research into factors decting meristic characters within species.
Thing (1962) pointed out that meristic studies had been largely
confined to freshwater fish, due to the unpredictable nature of marine
eggs and larvae aa experimental material. One exception waa the work
of Gabriel (1944) who reared Fundulw grundio Baird & Girard (the
American killifish), to successfully relate temperature conditions and
vertebral oount. Dmne,vig (1960) studied the plaice in the same
oontext, and confirmed Gabriel’s findings. This wm followed by a most
interesting meristic experiment in Sweden, where Molander and
Molander-Swedmark ( 1967) reared artificially-fertilized plaice eggs in
open circulation with temperature control, achieving occasional EWVivals to metamorphosis exceeding 40% of original egg stock.
In the 1860’s, the culture of marine fish for practical purposes
became IL distinct possibility with G. 0. S ~ E ’
d i s ~ ~ ~ q
that a cod egg
oould be artificially fertilized. Despite a tremendous proliferation of
fishery research facilities during the past 100 years, only limited attention has been paid to the fundmental requirements of sea-fish larvae
in shore establishments. A consistent rearing technique, even for a
single fish species, would do much to stimulate baeic reaearch on longneglected aspects of larval development and physiology, aa well aa
to re-focus attention on the commercial possibilities of artificial propagation. These considerations had a marked influence on the decision
to undertake the experimental programme described in the next
motion.
VI. RECENT PWCE-REARING EXPERIMENTS IN BBITAIN
Attempts to rear plaice in laboratory conditions began a t Lowestoft
in the early 1 9 6 0 ’ ~ ~
mainly &B a supporting programme for annual
studies on the egg and larval population in the sea (Simpson, 1969a, b ;
Shelbourne, 1963). It WM felt that tank experiments could make a
worthwhile contribution to the understanding of larval growth rates,
without whioh field data could not easily be u88d for determining
J. 1p. EHELBO’ITRNE
Blaxter and Hempel (1961) succeeded in rearing a few larval
herring from artificially fertilized eggs. About 6% of larvae which
survived beyond the yolk-sac stage (or 0-1 to 0.3% of hatched larvae)
metamorphosed when 30-35 mm long and 3-4 months old. Tanks
were 120-1. glazed stoneware crocks painted black, and the developing
firh were fed on natural plankton, Artemiu nauplii and MytiZus
trochophores. Rearing work on clupeid fishes hm been reviewed by
Blsxter and Holiday (1963) in the first volume of the present series
on recent advances in marine biology.
Useful technical information on marine fish rearing has also accrued
from research into factors decting meristic characters within species.
Thing (1962) pointed out that meristic studies had been largely
confined to freshwater fish, due to the unpredictable nature of marine
eggs and larvae aa experimental material. One exception waa the work
of Gabriel (1944) who reared Fundulw grundio Baird & Girard (the
American killifish), to successfully relate temperature conditions and
vertebral oount. Dmne,vig (1960) studied the plaice in the same
oontext, and confirmed Gabriel’s findings. This wm followed by a most
interesting meristic experiment in Sweden, where Molander and
Molander-Swedmark ( 1967) reared artificially-fertilized plaice eggs in
open circulation with temperature control, achieving occasional EWVivals to metamorphosis exceeding 40% of original egg stock.
In the 1860’s, the culture of marine fish for practical purposes
became IL distinct possibility with G. 0. S ~ E ’
d i s ~ ~ ~ q
that a cod egg
oould be artificially fertilized. Despite a tremendous proliferation of
fishery research facilities during the past 100 years, only limited attention has been paid to the fundmental requirements of sea-fish larvae
in shore establishments. A consistent rearing technique, even for a
single fish species, would do much to stimulate baeic reaearch on longneglected aspects of larval development and physiology, aa well aa
to re-focus attention on the commercial possibilities of artificial propagation. These considerations had a marked influence on the decision
to undertake the experimental programme described in the next
motion.
VI. RECENT PWCE-REARING EXPERIMENTS IN BBITAIN
Attempts to rear plaice in laboratory conditions began a t Lowestoft
in the early 1 9 6 0 ’ ~ ~
mainly &B a supporting programme for annual
studies on the egg and larval population in the sea (Simpson, 1969a, b ;
Shelbourne, 1963). It WM felt that tank experiments could make a
worthwhile contribution to the understanding of larval growth rates,
without whioh field data could not easily be u88d for determining