Methods for the production of reproductively sterile fish and aquatic animals for aq-uaculture, the aquarium trade, and control of invasive species are described. The methods include disruption of gonadal development through the administration of compounds that lead to the failure of fertile gonadal development. Compounds may be delivered to the eggs prior to fertilization or water activation or post fertilization and water activation by contacting unfertilized or pre-wateractivated fertilized eggs or fertilized eggs in an immersion medium including the compound of interest. Com-pounds may be conjugated with a molecular transporter compound effective for cho-rionic transport of the conjugate. The compounds may be antisense Morpholino oli-gomers that are capable of effectively suppressing the expression of the dead end gene or other essential genes for germ cell development in fish and other egg-producing aquatic animals.
