Head of the department:
Нanna Kurinenko
Ph.D of Agricultural Sciences, Senior Research Scientist
mobile: +38(067)318-15-10
e-mail (head): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The aim of the department is organizing and conducting selective-breeding works with pond fish at fish farms of different forms of ownership.

Currently, the department of fish selection develops selective-genetic bases for the improvement of the genetic resources of aquaculture objects with the use of molecular-genetic methods and modern cryobiotechnologies. Lately, a significant progress was achieved in the freezing of fish sperm and its use for artificial reproduction of valuable, rare and endangered species as well as pedigree fish specimen valuable in selective aspect. In the nearest perspective, we planned to conduct the works on forming the new brood stocks of Ukrainian carp breeds and improvement of breed base of domestic aquaculture, to obtain and grow new genotypes of valuable aquaculture objects with the use of modern biotechnologies, to widen and implement novel achievements of molecular genetics into everyday practice of fisheries research and fish selection, including the use of markers base on mitochondrial DNA.

Major areas of the department activities:

1. development of selective-breeding bases for improving the genetic resources of aquaculture objects;
2. rearing and forming the improved stocks of aquaculture objects;

Propositions of services for individuals and legal entities:

• consultative and practical aid on organizing and conducting selective-breeding works in aquaculture;
• selective-breeding works at specific fish farms.

The Department of Fish Selection of the Institute of Fisheries created first in the former Soviet Union two carp breeds – Ukrainian framed and Ukrainian scaled carp, based on which a number of intrabreed types and arrays (ecological types) were created, including: Nivka intrabreed type (scaled form); little scaled type (framed form); Lyubin types (scaled and framed forms) as well as Antonisko-Zozulenetsk arrays (scaled and framed forms) and Nesvitsk arrays (scaled and framed forms).

Head of the laboratory:
Yuiry Rud’
Ph.D of Biological Sciences, Senior Research Scientist
mob.: +38(097)953-80-80
e-mail (head): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The laboratory of biotechnologies in aquaculture was created in 2002 by the laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine in Science and Technics, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RANS), Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Buchatsky Leonid Petrovych. The aim of the laboratory is application of genomic and proteomic techniques for increasing fish productivity including the use of recombinant DNA and stem cell technologies, production of unisexual fish populations, introduction of molecular-biochemical, molecular and cryobiological studies in aquaculture, development of effective methods for diagnostics and prevention of infectious fish diseases.

The importance of the laboratory work is related to the fast development of aquaculture and introduction of novel biotechnologies for meeting the world demands in aquaculture products. The biotechnologies in aquaculture are aimed at solving such important problems as: improvement of fish population genetic control, conservation of biological diversity, restoration of rare and endangered fish species, biosafety, control of infectious fish diseases, immunology and genetic engineering.

The laboratory uses following methods: production of embryonic stem cells and their cultivation, cryopreservation of genital products, wide spectrum of molecular-biological and biochemical methods. Modern biotechnologies allow increasing fish growth rate, increasing their resistance to infectious diseases, affecting their reproductive processes, producing improved hybrids. The application of biotechnologies in aquaculture also contributes to the study of fundamental problems in ichthyology, developmental biology, immunology, microbiology, virology, etc.

Major areas of the laboratory activities:

1. development of diagnostic test-systems for the identification of infectious fish diseases;
2. study of the immunomodulating properties of novel biologically active substances and preparation and their introduction into aquaculture;
3. fundamental studies in gender genetics, polyploidy and distant hybridization;
4. obtaining distant hybrids with the aid of disperm androgenesis and alkylated DNA;
5. use of passaged cultures of fish cells in the study of “pathogen-host” immunological interactions;
6. isolation of spermatogonial stem cells and recipient transplantation for improving the genetic properties of aquaculture objects, xenotransplantation;
7. improvement of cryopreservation methods for fish genital cells.

Propositions of services for individuals and legal entities:

• molecular express-diagnostics of infectious fish diseases (see the Table);
• recommendations on the application of immunomodulating drugs;
• procedure of distant hybridization;
• search for genital DNA-markers for the express-diagnostics of sex in valuable fish species;
• use of indirect feminization method and obtaining the special unisexual fish brood stocks for the need of fish egg production;
• cryopreservation and storage of brood fish genital products.

During the laboratory existence, we developed the diagnostic systems based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the identification of viral and bacterial fish diseases, which according to the International Office of Epizootics (OIE) are especially dangerous for the objects of modern aquaculture.

We developed a PCR method for sex diagnostics in rainbow trout, Danube salmon and European grayling. The identification of genotypic males is a key stage in the process of hormonal sex reversion and production of reversant males for further fertilization of native females for obtaining a 100% unisexual population.

The laboratory developed and currently works on the dehydration-vitrification method of fish sperm freezing, due to which we increased the efficiency of cryobiological studies more than by two-fold with the aid of significant decrease in time and material necessary for getting the necessary result.

List of infectious fish disease agents and diagnostic test-systems in the laboratory of biotechnologies in aquaculture of the Institute of Fisheries NAAS

* possibility of the identification by multiplex PCR method

Head of the laboratory:
Olga Deren,
mob.: +38(068)216-89-21
e-mail (head): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The aim of laboratory activities is a search for ways and methods of increasing fish productivity in fishponds by feeding, optimization of all links of fish feeding, rationalization of the application of artificial and natural feeds in aquaculture, creation of economically profitable combined feeds and premixes.

The importance of the laboratory is related to the fact that a significant part in aquaculture production costs are feed-related ones. Hence, an important issue is to solve the problem of increasing the coefficient of artificial feed performance, rational feeding of different fish species, replacement of expensive components of combined feeds by cheaper non-traditional ones.

The methods of the laboratory include the use of biochemical, physiological, and histological studies, production inspection of created products and adaptation for production. Experimental works are carried out by the department in lab and field settings with the use of the facilities of research stations and fish farm of the Institute.

Major areas of the laboratory activities:

1. development and improvement of schemes of rationed fish feeding;
2. assessment of feed and ration energy value;
3. determination of the requirements of multiple-age groups of different fish species in nutrients depending on their physiological condition;
4. determination of the effect of individual feed components on fish technical and biochemical parameters;
5. creation of new and improvement of existing systems and methods of fish feeding;
6. development and production inspection of experimental mixed feeds and combined feed formulas;
7. study of the composition and nutritive value of artificial and natural feeds;
8. enrichment of feeds with growth- and immune-stimulating substances;
9. optimization of fish feeding and fish production.

Propositions of services for individuals and legal entities:

• development of optimum diets and schemes of rationed feeding for different fish species depending on fish farm type and feed components used;
• establishment of the norms of adding new balanced combined feeds and non-traditional feed crops to the main diet;
• determination of digestibility and nutritive value of feeds and feed supplements, evaluation of their effect on physiological-biochemical parameters of fish organism;
• production inspection of new types of combined feed products and estimation of the economic efficiency of their use;
• development and approval of normative documents according to the production inspection results.

Head of the department:
Alla Mariutsa
Ph.D of Agricultural Sciences, Senior Research Scientist
mobile: +38 098 448-87-25
e-mail (head): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The department was created in 2006 with a goal to conduct the studies on the genetic structure of the populations of different fish species with the use of novel technologies. It is equipped with modern equipment and currently investigates the genetic structure formation dynamics in different breeds of fish of aquatic ecosystems.

The importance of the department activities is related to the necessity of the application of molecular-genetic methods that allows controlling the movement of genetic information in breeds and intrabreed groups, detecting their specific peculiarities as well as studying the peculiarities of fish populations when introducing them to new regions.

The methodology of the department supposes the application of genetic-biochemical systems, DNA markers, cytogenetic analysis and biochemical methods.

Major areas of the department activities:

1. monitoring studies on the genetic structure control and cytogenetic analysis of the pedigree stocks of valuable fish species for the rational use of their gene pool;
2. studies of the genetic structure specificity of different fish species;
3. studies of the mechanisms of the formation of gene complex associations of different ecologo-geographic regions of Ukraine;
4. development of the scientific bases for the monitoring of the genetic components in aquatic ecosystems;
5. development of effective methods for the identification of the genetic structure of individual fish species populations in inland water bodies of different types;
6. conservation of ecological equilibrium and biodiversity on species and breed levels;
7. studies of the genotoxic effect of the environment;
8. improvement and approbation of genetic methods in fish selection;
9. study of the genetic structure of rare and endangered fish species populations;
10. study of the peculiarities of the formation of pedigree stocks and populations of different fish species by using a complex approach such as: genetic-biochemical systems, DNA markers (SSR, ISSR), cytogenetic analysis, biochemical studies;
11. use of real time PCR method for the determination of GMO content in fish products and feeds of different compositions;
12. study of the mechanisms of cytogenetic abnormality formation in different fish species.

Propositions of services for individuals and legal entities:

• molecular-genetic, cytogenetic, biochemical analysis of the pedigree material of different fish species;
• solving the problems of the heterozygosis level correction in fish populations;
• solving the problems of the consolidation of breeds and intrabreed groups;
• use of genomic selection elements when forming the genofond stocks of aquaculture objects with the desired productivity parameters.

Study results:

Selected the most informative molecular-genetic markers for long-term population-genetic control in agrosystems;

Performed an analysis and study of the formation specificity of the genetic structure on individual carp breeds and intrabreed types;

Determined the degree of intrabreed conservatism by the individual microsatellite sequences of nuclear DNA in carp of different geneses;

Developed scientific-methodical approached for the correction of population-genetic structure of fish pedigree stocks that contributes to the selective process optimization;

Developed methodical approaches of the detection of the most informative parameters of chromosomal apparatus stability in fish;

Developed a way to determine the genetic apparatus stability in cyprinids.

Head of the Laboratory:
Natalia Matvienko
Professor, Dr (HP)
mob. +38(063)628-34-17
e-mail (head): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The department has been created with an ultimate goal of the scientific support of food safety in Ukraine and for the creation of conditions for stabilizing and increasing the production of high quality fish products by preventing fish diseases.

The importance of the department consists in the necessity for the assessment of the epizootic state of water bodies and selection of fish species for rearing in the conditions of aquaculture of Ukraine. Last several years, a significant success has been achieved in the field of the study of fish viral diseases. The processes of aquaculture intensification suppose implementation of new techniques, including: use of polyculture, increase of fish stocking density, introduction and acclimatization of new aquaculture objects, application of high nutrient feeds and immunostimulators as well as transportation of fish from one fish farms to others located in different geographical and climatic zones with typical ecosystems. The causal relationship of such activities is occurrence of new fish diseases, which often are not typical for the given region or fish farm.

Activities of the department include comprehensive studies aimed at disease diagnostics and development of appropriate treatment and curative measures. The studies are carried out using conventional ichthyopathological, microbiological, virological and aquaculture methods.

Major areas of the department activities:

1. development of scientific basis and methodology for monitoring of infectious and invasive fish diseases in conditions of aquaculture and inland water bodies of Ukraine;
2. determination of the nature of fish diseases registered in the surveyed fish farms and water bodies of Ukraine, establishment of their etiology, clinical signs and patho-morphological changes in fish organisms;
3. development of early diagnostics methods for fish diseases, which are most common in aquaculture and inland water bodies of Ukraine;
4. search for the most effective and economically justified methods of the prevention of fish diseases of different etiologies;
5. approbation and introduction of new preventive and treatment drugs in aquaculture;
6. studying the effects of drugs on physiological and immunological parameters of fish organism.

Propositions of services for individuals and legal entities:

• diagnostics of fish diseases of different etiologies;
• examination of fish seeds (during stocking to rearing ponds or when transferring to wintering ponds);
• scientifically justified development of a complex of preventive and treatment measures adapted for specific fish culture facility including for closed water supply systems;
• consulting services on preventive treatment of fish and application of treatment and preventive drugs in aquaculture;
• visits of specialists to fish farms for performing complex ichthyopathological studies;
• organization of the observance of aquaculture-technological and veterinary-sanitary requirements by fish farms in the process of hydrobiont rearing.

The department has a permit of the Kyiv Regime Commission to work with causative agents of the III-IV groups of pathogenicity during virological, bacteriological and parasitic studies as well as an attestation at the SE “Ukrmetrteststandart”