Inhibiting invasive fish reproduction via germ cell xenotransplantation and hybrid lethality

Invasive alien fish constitute a major problem in the conservation of aquatic ecosystems. The most common method of exterminating invasive fish is physical capture by fishing gear; however, it is extremely difficult to eradicate them. Here, we developed a novel methodology to inhibit the reproduction of invasive fish by releasing surrogate males of the same species, which produce sperm of different species, into rivers, allowing them to produce lethal hybrids through natural spawning. This study focused on rainbow trout, an invasive fish that negatively impacts ecosystems worldwide. Since rainbow trout × brown trout hybrids are lethal, surrogate rainbow trout producing brown trout sperm were created by germline stem cell transplantation. Releasing the surrogate males into an experimental river inhabited by wild-type rainbow trout females revealed that they naturally mated and produced lethal hybrid offspring. This is a novel and powerful methodology for eradicating invasive fish.