LED by AquaGen Scotland, a team of international aquaculture researchers has made a significant breakthrough with the identification of two new genetic markers that indicate greater resistance to a bacterial infection in Atlantic salmon.
The project is backed by the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) and headed by AquaGen Scotland, with partners from the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, DawnFresh Farming, and Cooke Aquaculture Scotland.
The consortium has been exploring the genetics that determine whether fish are resistant to Flavobacterium psychrophilum – a bacteria which can lead to health issues in salmon fry.
The scientific milestone is expected to pave the way for selective breeding programmes, which could boost the health and welfare of farmed Scottish salmon by breeding new fish from parents that possess the genetic resistance markers and are, therefore, expected to display increased resistance to the bacteria.