February 21, 2014

EU has introduced a new comprehensive research project to improve the efficiency and profitability of European aquaculture by advancing selective breeding to the next level for six finfish species through collaborative research with industry.

The aquaculture sector is relatively young and there is a need to increase productivity and profitability while reducing the impact on the environment. Throughout five years, the European FISHBOOST project will address the cost benefits of implementing selective breeding in aquaculture production.

The project started this week at the host institute Nofima (the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research), with research, industry and non-government organisation (NGO) partners from nine European countries.

"We believe we will find some answers to what it takes to increase the 10%, and guide aquaculture producers to implement selective breeding in their production", says Anna Sonesson from Nofima, coordinator of the project.

The project will develop a mixture of low and high-tech approaches, including aspects of social science, to move the breeding programmes of six finfish species to the next level. This step-change advance to the next level means facilitating balanced and sustainable breeding programmes covering a wide range of traits, breeding tools and technologies. The six species are Atlantic salmon, common carp, European sea bass, gilthead sea bream, rainbow trout and turbot.

FISHBOOST is a Collaborative Research Project running from February 1, 2014 to January 31, 2019, funded by the European Commission (EC) worth €6 million (US$8.2 million) through the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technical Development.

A collaboration of 14 well-recognised participants within research and technology development in aquaculture breeding with seven small and medium-sized enterprises, four large industry partners and one NGO throughout Europe will be undertaken.

This news is made available by FIS.