Aquaculture offers solutions to meet the growing global demand for fish, and reports from the UN‐FAO indicate that aquaculture production in Latin America (LA) has grown at rates above the world average in recent years. One of the major constraints in the diversification of LA aquaculture is the control of reproduction in several popular native fish species for which difficulties in captive propagation have not yet been sufficiently overcome. This article reviews the use of hormone treatments to promote reproduction in females of these native fish species. LA has played a key role in the history of development of hormone administration, including the first hormonally induced spawning. That contribution is included in a historical overview of the discovery of the major hormones used in fish culture. The review provides a summary of difficulties to propagate females of various native fishes and the effects of administering hormones to enhance reproduction. Induced spawning of certain freshwater species was mainly achieved with pituitary extracts or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), although gonadotropin‐releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) treatments are being researched, and successful studies suggest that low doses may be more effective. Research on new and emerging aquaculture species has applied both gonadotropins (Gths) and GnRHa‐based treatments, and GnRHa treatments have shown potential for marine species. However, native marine species new to aquaculture have also been conditioned to spawn spontaneously without hormones. Finally, we proposed future lines of research to examine reproductive strategies and GnRHa‐based hormone treatments to improve reproductive control for economically important fish species of LA.

No abstract

Growth and fillet yield in recirculation systems ofLobotes pacificus (Perciformes: Lobotidae), a species with aquaculture potential Crecimiento y rendimiento en filete de Lobotes pacificus (Perciformes: Lobotidae) en sistemas recirculados, una especie con potencial en acuicultura ABSTRACT The genus Lobotes extends across tropical and subtropical areas of oceans such as the Atlantic and the Pacific; it is extracted in artisanal fisheries, and its aquaculture production technology is still under investigation. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the growth and fillet yield of L. pacificus in recirculated systems. In 2014, for a 100-day period, 132 juveniles were placed in six 10m 3 tanks (22 fish/tank), D1 (ranging 5-13 g, x̄ = 8.8 ± 1.9 g, n = 66), and D2 (ranging 14-80 g, x̄ = 44.7 ± 16.4 g, n = 66). Fish were fed to satiety, D1 with artificial feed and D2 with sardines. The weight-length relationship was calculated for each group. Fish had a final weight of 47.7 ± 20.3 g and 612.2 ± 238.7 g in groups D1and D2, respectively, while survival was 98.3% and 72.7% in groups D1 and D2. The whole fish and fillet yields (whole eviscerated fish yield of 89.0 ± 0.5% and fillet yields without skin of 36.1 ± 0.6%) from group D2 were considered acceptable and competitive. The 100 days of culture indicated that L. pacificus reached commercial sizes in less time than other similar fish species; however, the use of sardines as the only source of food was not recommended. This study showed that L. pacificus has high yield potential for aquaculture.