College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine

Genetics roadmap to develop more resilient farmed fish

Conference at The Roslin Institute looks at opportunities for improving the breeding of the freshwater fish tilapia.

Tilapia

World experts gathered at The Roslin Institute for a two-day workshop organised by research organisation WorldFish to investigate how better fish breeding can alleviate poverty in developing countries.

Based on a roadmap developed at the workshop held at Roslin,  Worldfish will now embark on new research to create more resilient fish with characteristics such as disease resistance and more effective feed utilisation.

Ross Houston, Group Leader at The Roslin Institute said: “Aquaculture production needs to increase by 40 percent by 2030 to meet global demands for fish. Nile tilapia is arguably the world’s most important food fish, and plays a key role in tackling rural poverty in developing countries. The innovations in genetic improvement mapped out in this workshop are an important step toward achieving these ambitious goals.”

WorldFish is an international, non-profit research organisation that aims to reduce poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture

As well as representatives from The Roslin Institute, workshop attendees included experts from WorldFish’s Malaysian and Egyptian bases, Swedish University of Life Sciences, Stirling University’s Institute of Aquaculture, Earlham Institute, Wageningen University and CIRAD.

 

Related links

CGIAR Research Program on fish (FISH)

WorldFish sustainable aquaculture