Genetic Improvement of Cultured Marine Finfish

This chapter describes the genetic improvement of cultured marine finfish. The genetic improvement of marine fish will ensure gains in industrial efficiency/productivity, gains in product quality/consistency/availability and price reductions for the consumer. The efforts to apply genetic improvement methods for captive marine fish are expected to intensify for several reasons: the total possible catches from the sea have stabilized and future increases in seafood supplies have to come from aquaculture; product prices usually will converge with costs of production as production volumes for given species increase; and as production using high-density monoculture increases, there is greater commercial losses from disease outbreaks. For selection of a new species for genetic improvement, the choice of genetic improvement method and the choice of trait or traits to be improved should be considered. Wild (and cultured) fish strains of the same species from different geographic locations may show differences for performance such as growth and survival in captive culture conditions.