Cermaq Canada’s parent company Cermaq ASA helped fund the International Cooperation to Sequence the Atlantic Salmon Genome (ICSASG), which has announced the project had been completed. The announcement was made at the International Conference on Integrative Salmonid Biology (ICISB) in Vancouver.
“The salmon genome is a resource for R&D in the entire industry,” says Olai Einen, Research and Development Manager at Cermaq in Norway.
Salmon farmers will be able to use this knowledge to identify genes that are resistant to different viruses and diseases, and identify genes critical for growth. This will allow salmon farmers to develop better breeding programs, better vaccines and optimise feeding.
The genetic information will also be useful to researchers as a reference guide sequence for the genomes of other salmonids such as Pacific salmon, rainbow trout and more distantly related fish such as smelt and pike.
Healthier food, more environmentally sound fish farming and better interactions with wild salmon are all positive outcomes from this research.
The fully-mapped genome is freely available to researchers inside and outside the salmon farming industry. It will provide crucial information to fish managers to improve the production and sustainability of aquaculture operations, and address challenges around conservation of wild stocks, preservation of at-risk fish populations and environmental sustainability.
Genetic sequencing is not genetic modification. Canadian salmon farmers have made it clear they are not interested in farming genetically modified fish. The sequenced genome will give salmon farmers more information and allow them to use traditional animal husbandry methods more efficiently to grow top-quality, healthy fish.
Further Reading
You can view the full report on the sequencing of the Atlantic salmon genome by clicking here.
