Abstract: The eugenol anesthesia-assisted waterless live transportation of Micropterus salmoides was simulated and optimized with respect to eugenol concentration, anesthesia temperature and temperature during transportation, and the changes in blood biochemical indexes and muscle quality of fish with transportation time were studied under the optimized conditions. The results showed that the concentration of cortisol, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine and urea nitrogen in the serum of fish subjected to waterless live transportation increased significantly compared with the control group living in the culture pond (P < 0.05), and increased with transportation time. On the other hand, the activity of gill Na+/K+-ATPase and the content of albumin and lysozyme activity in serum decreased significantly with transportation time (P < 0.05). All these blood indexes could basically recover to the normal levels after temporary culture resuscitation for a certain period of time, indicating that organ damage in Micropterus salmoides occurring during waterless transportation could be self-repaired. The results of muscle quality evaluation showed that transformation of bound to immobile water occurred with increasing transportation time, leading to loose texture and quality deterioration, which could return to normal after temporary culture resuscitation for a certain period of time. Eugenol could be enriched in Micropterus salmoides bathed in it, and eugenol in the muscle could be metabolized to below the maximum residue limit (0.05 mg/kg) set by Japan after temporary culture for 2 days. Therefore, eugenol anesthesia is useful for short-term waterless live transportation. After waterless transportation, the muscle quality of fish declines, but it can recover to normal after temporary culture for a short time. It is recommended that after waterless transportation fish need to be temporarily cultured for two days before being marketed.

Key words: Micropterus salmoides; waterless live transportation; eugenol; blood index; muscle quality; residual metabolism