Effect of pond‐ or strip‐spawning on growth and carcass yield of channel catfish progeny, Ictalurus punctatus

Accurate, unbiased phenotypic performance of progeny is critical for the development of fish‐breeding programs, and identification of possible environmental factors affecting phenotypes is an important aspect of genetic analysis. Catfish progeny can be produced by either natural pond‐spawning or hormone‐induced strip‐spawning. We determined the effects of pond‐spawning versus strip‐spawning on fingerling weight, harvest weight, and carcass yield of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, progeny. Progeny from 65 pond‐spawned full‐sib families and 29 strip‐spawned full‐sib families were reared in separate family tanks, then tagged as fingerlings, and then stocked communally in earthen ponds and harvested at ~17 months posthatch. A sample of fish from each full‐sib family was measured for carcass yield. Fingerling weight was not affected by sex or spawning type. Harvest weight was higher for males than for females and higher for pond‐spawned fish than for strip‐spawned fish. Carcass yield was higher for females than for males and higher for pond‐spawned fish than for strip‐spawned fish. Results indicate that strip‐spawning had substantial negative effects on progeny harvest weight and carcass yield. Accounting for the effect of strip‐spawning in breeding programs and the potential effects of strip‐spawning on commercial catfish production should be determined.