Tofu-tolerant mariculture: Genomics-Assisted Breeding of a High-Quality Marine Finfish for Enhanced Performance on Sustainable, Scalable Soy-based Feeds

Reliance on fishmeal and fish oil is a significant constraint to aquaculture expansion in America, and globally. As U.S. marine fish farming expands, genetic improvements could increase economic performance and decrease ecological footprint. This is critically important to sustainability, scalability and profitability of the industry, and is key to attracting capital investment. Commercial opportunities and sustainability concerns are probably greatest for high-value marine finfish, such as kampachi (Seriola rivoliana). Phase I research identified genetic markers that were highly-significantly associated with enhanced performance of kampachi on soy-based feeds. This work also initiated early development of high-throughput screening panels for this trait, which could improve sustainability and profitability of kampachi production on U.S. agriculture-based feeds. Primary Phase II objectives are to validate and test heritability of these markers through marker-assisted broodstock selection; and, identify markers associated with other Seriola phenotypes critical for health, survival and yield in commercial culture (fillet yield, fat content, spinal deformities, sex, skin fluke resistance). A flexible marker panel (able to add new markers, as needed) will allow rapid genotyping of potential broodstock for “tofu-tolerance” markers and potentially markers associated with these other commercially critical traits.