Scientists from
Santiago de Compostela
University (USC) are making significant
progress in genetically improving seabream and
turbot, which may lead to higher growth rates for
both species and lower production costs for fish
farmers.A team
of biologists from USC Aquaculture Institute is
studying brood stocks to learn about their genetic
diversity and the structure of their populations
- both vital aspects for developing a genetic
improvement programme, reports EFE.
This institute
collaborates with two leading companies in this
field -
Pescanova and
Stolt Sea Farm -
and plans to introduce other species such as sole,
blackspot seabream and pollack.
Paulino Martínez, one
of the scientists involved in the genetic
improvement programme, explained that using genetic
processes is a fairly new practice in aquaculture,
but offers tremendous potential for "optimising
farmed species" in the medium term.
He said the project
aimed to improve the selection of brood specimens to
eliminate those that could transmit genetic
abnormalities or diseases.
The method used by
USC researchers is based on the analysis of family
relationships among individuals and "eliminates
consanguinity or the union of individuals from the
same family."
By Patricia
Diácono
FIS Latino
