March 1, 2007

USAID delivers supermale tilapias to Guyana to boost aquaculture

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), working with the Guyana Trade and Investment Support (GTIS) is delivering 250 breeding sets of supermale tilapias to Guyana to boost the country's aquaculture.

Guyana aims to make aquaculture the leading economic sector in the country by 2015.

Supermales are a special breed of tilapia with two YY chromosomes. Males normally have an X and a Y chromosome to spawn male and female offspring. Since the modified fish has two male genes (Y genes), it guarantees the preferred male offspring.

The recipients are the Von Better Aquaculture, East Coast Aquaculture and the Fort Island Aquaculture. The offspring of this supermale shipment will be the first set of tilapia exported from Guyana.