The National Centre for Research and Development

  Project title

Innovative hatchery - implementation of seed cryopreservation in salmonids breeding improvement programmes

  Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries

• Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn
• Dabie Fish Hatchery Krzysztof Grecki and Jacek Juchniewicz

  Name of programme

1st Competition of the Joint Undertaking of the National Centre of Science and National Centre for Research and Development TANGO

  Competition

Tango 1

  Project value

PLN 1,225,402.59

  Funding value

PLN 955,980.77

  Project delivery period

01/06/2015 - 28/02/2019

Meet our team

View the results of our work

Scheme of procedure for the cryopreservation of salmonid seed including the three main technology steps and the four quality control points

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What problem is addressed by the project? 

The overall objective of the project is to implement seed cryopreservation into salmonid breeding practice. Significant progress has been made in this direction leading to the development of seed freezing technology, which has been used to establish a seed bank of valuable breeding lines at Dąbie Fish Hatchery. The project has led to developing a standardised technology for the cryopreservation of salmonid sperm with a high potential for implementation. The technology consists of three main steps: a) collection of sperm and determination of sperm concentration and motility, b) equilibration and determination of sperm motility and c) freezing and determination of sperm motility after thawing. Quality control is carried out by checking the concentration of fresh seed and checking sperm motility three times, which guarantees a standardised product (cryopreserved seed) with high-quality parameters. The technology has been patented in Poland.

Who uses the project results? 

Significant progress in the standardisation of salmonid cryopreservation methodology led to the development of seed freezing technology, which was used to establish a seed bank of valuable breeding lines at the “Dąbie” Fish Hatchery. The first attempts to actually use the cryopreserved seed in the routine work of the hatchery were also carried out. The tangible application achievements of the project also include, as discussed above, the establishment of a bank of the cryopreserved seed of salmonid fish lines maintained at the Dąbie Fish Hatchery and the beginning of the use of frozen seed for the hatchery’s breeding work. The method developed may also be useful for other fish farms and in activities aimed at establishing gene banks of endangered species and fish populations. The main principles of the method were presented at specialised conferences to a wide audience.

What was the greatest challenge during project implementation?

The project was carried out under practical hatchery conditions and primarily focused on sexreversed females whose biology is not sufficiently understood. The degree of development of the reproductive system varied greatly, which was why the difficulty in standardising the cryopreservation methodology was difficult. The challenge was the project’s rigid framework, preventing a flexible approach to dealing with emerging issues that could not have been foreseen in advance. Negotiations on a replacement strategy have been difficult and not always successful. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly slowed down the implementation of the project into the current activity of the “Dąbie” Fish Hatchery.

Our advice for other applicants

The implementation of NCRD projects differs from the implementation of NCN projects. In particular, it concerns keeping very detailed documentation on the works carried out, eligibility of costs and strict definition of the principles of cooperation with a partner. It is necessary to consider the designer’s requirements, as the control requirements are detailed and time-bound. In this respect, it is important to prepare well from the beginning of the project and allocate sufficient time to meet these requirements.