Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Farmed salmon is British Columbia's most significant agricultural export and returns over $600 M to the provincial economy each year. Domestic markets for salmon are growing as the nutritional and health value of salmon are increasingly recognized, and exceptional commercial opportunities lie in the rapidly expanding US and Asian markets. To take advantage of these international markets will require increased production at a decreased cost. A broodstock development program is an essential component of an aquaculture company's strategy if it is to remain competitive in the international marketplace by producing fish with the most desirable performance traits in an economically and efficient manner. Broodstock development programs benefit from the application of genomic technologies. The objective of this project is to integrate recent advances in genomic technologies in particular a 16K Atlantic salmon SNP array, into Mainstream Canada's existing Atlantic salmon family based broodstock development program to increase its competitiveness in the international arena. We have assembled a team whose members have complementary skills that include salrnonid genomics, livestock genetic improvement, genotyping, broodstock and hatchery management, and phenotype-genotype relationships and broodstock selection. Highly qualified personnel, who will become leaders in the use of marker assisted selection in broodstock development programs, will be trained in this project. This project is designed to ensure that salmon farming remains sustainable in British Columbia, and reaches its full potential.