Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development

Abstract

Pilot Test of Elemental Fingerprint in Otolith Core as a Natural Biological Tag to Discriminate among Gymnocypris przewalskii Stocks in Lake Qinghai in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

JY Zhang, XH Liu, YL Zhao, FL Wei and CZ Li

Naked or scaleless carp, Gymnocypris przewalskii as reported by Kessler in 1876 is the unique economic fish species and play an important ecological function to maintain the health ecosystem of Qinghai Lake watershed. The natural resource of naked carp, however, has sharply decreased during the past decades. Understanding the stock structure of this endangered fish is prerequisite to make a scientific management strategy to restore its stock resources. Otolith fingerprint has been widely applied to identify and discriminate fish stocks. In the present work, a pilot test was performed to evaluate the possibility of applying trace element fingerprint of otolith core as a natural tag to discriminate among stocks of two inflowing river and releasing artificially hatched and nursed individuals of naked carp. Results showed that otolith core elemental fingerprinting can successfully discriminate the three analyzed naked carp groups which will provide a robust tool for conservation and future development of aquaculture industry of this economic fish in Qinghai-Tibet plateau.