Atlantic Cod Genomics and Broodstock Development

Humans have farmed fish for nearly as long as they have planted crops or raised animals. The earliest records of fish farming, or aquaculture, are from China, beginning some 3,500 to 4,000 years ago. As the Roman Empire expanded, the Chinese techniques were brought to Europe where the monks of the Middle Ages use them to provide fish for observant Roman Catholics.

Aquaculture today is the fastest-growing food production sector in the world, and demand for its products is expected to keep rising. That’s because the world’s population is increasing and interest is spreading in heart-healthy food.

According to the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, global population is expected to climb from 6 billion in 2000 to 8.3 billion by 2030. The estimated demand for fish and seafood will then be 183 million tonnes, but traditional fisheries will be able to supply only 80 to 100 million tonnes on a sustainable basis.

Aquaculture techniques are changing to make up the shortfall. In fact, by 2030 aquaculture is expected to be the main source of fish and seafood. Nell Halse of Cooke Aquaculture Inc. points out, "Just as we rely on farm-raised animals, we’re increasingly going to be looking to aquaculture to meet our demand for seafood."

The challenge for acquaculturalists is that “farmed fish are expensive to feed and maintain, and some do not respond well to culture conditions. Breeding high-performing fish is critical to commercial success.

That’s where the Atlantic Cod Genomics and Broodstock Development project comes in. It’s mapping the genome of Atlantic cod to identify genes responsible for traits such as growth rate and resistance to stress or disease.

Halse explains, "It takes several generations of breeding to produce the best stock. By working with our partners in this genomics project, we’ll be able to identify 'markers' on the fish DNA that will pinpoint specific traits. This will allow us to increase the accuracy of our breeding program, making it much more efficient."

Leading the project are Dr. Jane Symonds, Director of Aquaculture at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in New Brunswick, and Dr. Sharen Bowman, a genomics specialist at the Atlantic Genome Centre in Halifax.

The project will generate scientific data of benefit to the entire aquaculture industry in Atlantic Canada and will also provide superior breeding stock. The results will be far-reaching: an aquaculture industry better able to compete internationally; enhanced job prospects in coastal regions and Aboriginal communities: and the opportunity for Canada to export its equipment, knowledge and services.

Researchers will work closely with the project’s scientists and industry partners to examine ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social issues (GE³LS) related to the genomics research applications. Questions include how benefits should be shared among research and commercialization partners, as well as the status of elite Atlantic cod broodstock under Canadian environmental law.

Given the steady rise in demand for protein, the pressure facing many wild fish populations and the globalization of the seafood market, the time has come to marry genomics and aquaculture and continue the journey begun in China millennia ago.