Fish Farmer December 2021

Breeding and genetics

Stock answers Broodstock – shellfish, shrimps or finfish – is constantly being improved through technology

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REEDING fish for aquaculture is increasingly a science – and hard science at that – rather than an art. The applica�on of cu�ng-edge biotechnology, including genomics, is already paying dividends for fish welfare and for farmers’ profitability. For example, earlier this autumn we learned that a gene with a major role in resistance to infec�ous pancrea�c necrosis virus (IPNV) that can cause high mortality levels in farmed salmon and trout has been iden�fied in a study by a team of scien�sts. The study was carried out by the Roslin Ins�tute and Hendrix Gene�cs, together with the University of S�rling, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and Uppsala University. The gene affec�ng resistance to a viral disease in Atlan�c salmon was iden�fied using CRISPR gene edi�ng technology. This discovery, made using a combina�on of genomics and gene edi�ng technologies, provides insight into why some salmon are resistant and others are suscep�ble to IPNV. Robbert Blonk, Director of R&D at Hendrix Gene�cs Aquaculture, explains: “The research project aimed at crea�ng cell lines that had a targeted knocked-out (dismantled) candidate gene called NAE1, which was suspected to be responsible for suscep�bility to IPNV. “Results showed that knocking out NAE1 fully explained the resistance in a very convincing way and this was published in a peerreviewed ar�cle. We are currently further tes�ng the gene.

“Also interes�ng – and even more useful for the industry – is that we now know which gene we need to check in our broodstock to even further improve the accuracy in selec�on for improved IPNV resistance in our stock.” It’s just part of a busy year for Hendrix Gene�cs, which also owns hatchery business Landcatch in the UK. The company has upgraded its smolt unit in north-west Scotland, producing organic smolts for its key customers. Bram Geurts, Director of Sales & Marke�ng and Salmonids at Hendrix Gene�cs Aquaculture, says: “The upgrade has proven its value in this excep�onal warm and dry summer. This is only one example of how we are investing in our sites and infrastructures to ‘engineer out’ risks as much as possible. Not only for our smolt rearing and gene�c support

This “ upgrade

has proven its value

”

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09/12/2021 15:44:52