Conal True

Dr. Conal True and the research team form UABC have dedicated much of their professional life to develop technological procedures and basic/applied science to evaluate the feasibility for a full scale husbandry program for Totoaba macdonaldi an endemic, endangered and very controversial species of the northern Sea of Cortez. Dr. True has specialized in marine fish reproduction and was the first scientist to ever spawn this species in captivity; other areas of his interest apply to RAS system design, aquaculture architecture, commercial consulting and biological oceanography. MSc. Gerardo Sandoval is a full time assistant in the program were he has pioneered all the initial larval rearing for this species. Dr. Lus Lopez together with Dr. Mario Galaviz are Full time professors at UABC, both in the nutritional and diet developing area. Dr. Lopez has studied Totoabas nutritional requirements in captivity and has formulated and tested the first commercial/practical diet for this species. Dr. Galaviz has extensively worked the nutrition of the early life stages were in collaboration with MSc. Sandoval they have managed to bring initial survival from under 1% to above 10%. Dr. Luis Enriques is a full time professor at UABC and a leading geneticist how has helped provide the insight for a captive breeding program with full tractability for this species. Norberto Castro works as a senior research assistant and was responsible for initial brood stock collecting and captive husbandry procedures. Together they have taken this species from unknown and underdeveloped husbandry to a full scale feasible marine production concept.