Year 2008 Annual Summary Report on the Use of Common Carp Pituitary in Field Efficacy Trials

Spawning aids such as common carp pituitary (CCP), luteinizing hormonereleasing hormone analogue, and human chorionic gonadotropin are routinely used in fisheries programs to induce gamete maturation in fish to enhance fish propagation programs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of CCP under the Compassionate Investigational New Animal Drug (INAD) Exemption #8391 for the purpose of gathering efficacy data to support a new animal drug approval for CCP. During calendar year 2008 (CY08), 16 INAD trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of CCP to induce gamete maturation in a variety of fish species. Trials involved 3,738 treated fish and were conducted at eight different fish hatcheries, including six state hatcheries and two private hatcheries. Efficacy was determined by whether or not treated fish (1) produced or yielded eggs or milt, or (2) produced or yielded more eggs or milt than untreated fish. Overall results of trials conducted during this period indicated that approximately 88% of the trials appeared efficacious, ineffective in 6% of the trials, and were characterized as inconclusive in 6% of the trials