CONTROLLED SPAWNING TECHNIQUES AND ARTIFICIAL DIETS FOR STRIPED SNAKEHEAD CHANNA STRIATUS

THE STRIPED SNAKEHEAD CHANNA STRIATUS IS A HIGHLY ESTEEMED FOODFISH IN SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH ASIA. MILLIONS OF FISH ARE CONSUMED ANNUALLY IN COUNTRIES OF THIS REGION. SEVERAL THOUSAND METRIC TONS OF FROZEN WHOLE SNAKEHEAD ARE ALSO IMPORTED ANNUALLY INTO NORTH AMERICA FOR SALE IN DOMESTIC ASIAN SEAFOOD MARKETS. THE STRIPED SNAKEHEAD WAS INTRODUCED INTO HAWAII AS A FOODFISH IN THE EARLY 1800S. SMALL POPULATIONS REMAIN ESTABLISHED IN SEVERAL FRESHWATER BODIES ON OAHU. LARGE-SCALE CULTURE OF SNAKEHEADS IS PRACTICED IN SEVERAL LOCALITIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, BASED N WILD CAUGHT FRY AND THE USE OF GROUND TRASH FISH AS FEED. THESE ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PROPOSED PHASE I RESEARCH WILL EVALUATE TEN CONTROLLED SPAWNING TECHNIQUE, UTILIZING EXISTING LOCAL SUPPLIES OF WILD SNAKEHEAD BROODSTOCK, AND TEST TEN LIVE, FRESH, AND ARTIFICIAL DIETS FOR SNAKEHEAD FRY AND FINGERLINGS. THE RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH WILL INDICATE THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A U.S.-BASED COMMERCIAL SNAKEHEAD CAPABILITY IN HAWAII, OR ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY FRESH CHILLED PRODUCT FOR ASIAN SEAFOOD MARKETS IN NORTH AMERICA, AND POSSIBLY FOR MAINSTREAM MARKETS AS WELL.