Precocious puberty in farmed fish is a major constraint to aquacultural production efficiency. Currently, production losses in salmonid and sea bass industries are estimated to exceed 30 million Europe. An array of genetic, environmental, nutritional, hormonal and developmental factors influences puberty, but the exact determinants remain unclear. Artificial light, nutrition and genetic background can affect timing of puberty.

The main innovative aspect of the present study is to combine the possibilities provided by these determinants to generate groups with large differences in timing of puberty. These groups then serve to identify key components of the brain-pituitary-gonad (BPG) axis, i.e. reproductive hormones and their receptors, which control puberty.

Objectives
Controlling photopenod can be an effective way to prevent early sexual maturation.