Canadian Fish Farmer Eliminates 'Pesky Male Teenagers" In Fish Pools

A fish farmer in Canada has successfully eliminated male species from his Arctic char pools, a reported first in Canada fisheries.

The male fish, especially adolescents, put all of their energy into finding mates, which hinders their growth and affects the quality and color of the flesh of the fish. Flesh of male Arctic char is often white, which seen as undesirable by chefs and diners.

"They're all jockeying for position to impress the females and aren't putting their energies into growing," said fish farmer Jonathan Lucas in an interview with the Toronto Star. "It's very irritating."

In a business where the size and quality of the fish is paramount to success, Lucas sought to find a solution to those "pesky male teenagers."

By using a rainforest-derived compound called Pro Breed and applying it to Arctic char sperm, Lucas has been able to breed mostly female fish. In 5,000 fish bread using the compound, only 10 percent have been males.

Pro Breed, a negatively charged liquid, works like a magnet by attracting positively charged male chromosomes. The Pro Breed effectively gives female chromosomes a head start during the artificial insemination process by causing the male chromosomes to clump together and preventing them from swimming.

The Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) has the most northerly distribution of any of the freshwater fish and has been eaten for centuries by the Inuit people, according to Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Since the 1940s it has gained popularity in gourmet restaurants as the fish was commercially caught and shipped south.

Most Arctic char sold in the U.S. is farmed, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program. The program considers the fish a "Best Choice" for ecologically responsible seafood.