Transportation of fertilized northern pike eggs in a small mobile egg transportation system: Effect of time and comparison to a traditional method

Fish eggs must commonly be transported from their place of origin to another location, such as hatcheries or experimental laboratories. In the present study, two transportation methods (plastic bags and an incubation mini-system) and three transportation scenarios (5, 9, and 12 h after fertilization) were tested for northern pike eggs that were fertilized one hour before transportation. The size of the presented incubation mini-system, combining incubation jars, water circulation pumps, and space for dry ice for cooling, enabled egg transportation, even in the trunk of a car. When the number of dead eggs, which were monitored during the incubation process, and the larval hatching rate (mean = 64%) were compared, no statistically significant differences were found between the two transportation methods or among the three transportation durations. In conclusion, although the presented incubation mini-system was found to be appropriate for transporting eggs over a long distance for up to 11 h (12 h after fertilization), the simpler method of transportation in bags is recommended for such transportation time. It is, however, recommended that the incubation mini-system be tested over a longer distance and time in the future, including longer no-movement periods.