Abstract: We investigated the waterless live transportation of Lateolabrax maculatus at ecological ice temperature. The effect of temporary culture with vitamin C (VC) and dipping in protective solutions before subsequent transportation on blood biochemical indexes, gill Na+ /K+-ATPase (NKA) activity, serum lysozyme concentration and immunoglobulin M (IgM) level of Chinese sea perch was evaluated. The results showed temporary culture with 30 mg/L VC for 12 h followed by cold acclimation and immersion in protective solution G2 (0.09% lysozyme + 0.3% sorbitol + 0.08% Zingiber officinale juice) for 2–3 s before separate packaging was the most effective at keeping fish alive during subsequent transportation. The combination of temporary culture with 30 mg/L VC and protective solution G2 could maintain the serum concentration of total protein and albumin at levels higher than those observed with the other treatments. In addition, serum lysozyme, IgM and gill NKA activity were maintained. The application of the protective solution could effectively attenuate gill and renal damages, form a protective film on the body surface of fish and facilitate the excretion of metabolic waste, resulting in a 1%–5% reduction in the mortality rate after waterless transportation.

Key words: Lateolabrax maculatus, waterless transportation, temporary culture, protective solution, Zingiber officinale, lysozyme, sorbitol