CONTENT MARKETING
Genetic selection for robust salmon
Optimised genetics, combined with best production practices, are essential to improving survival, fish welfare, efficiency and profitability in salmon farming.
As global demand for seafood continues to rise, genetics is playing an increasingly important role in enabling a more sustainable aquaculture industry, with companies such as Benchmark Genetics supporting producers through a combination of scientific innovation and practical application.
Built on decades of genetic progress, its salmon ova portfolio is designed to meet the specific challenges of different farming regions and production systems.
Since the start of its family-based breeding programmes, Benchmark Genetics has focused on improving overall robustness. Through data-driven selection and long-term genetic progress, this approach remains a critical contribution to addressing the challenges of a growing salmon industry—reducing biological risk while improving fish welfare and survival.
“The value of this long-term strategy is enhanced through the targeted use of cryopreserved milt from elite male fish in combination with selected female fish groups, resulting in high-performing commercial products”, states Harry Tziouvas, Commercial Lead UK, Faroes and Global Land-based, at Benchmark Genetics.
The value of this long-term strategy is enhanced through the targeted use of cryopreserved milt from elite male fish in combination with selected female fish groups, resulting in high-performing commercial products
Benchmark Genetics’ salmon portfolio offers genetics optimised for freshwater and seawater growth, with high resistance to key diseases such as IPN and CMS, and strong performance in challenging farming environments.
In Scotland, where Atlantic salmon is a major export, producers are facing increasing pressure from rising sea temperatures, pathogens, and environmental stressors. These factors are contributing to higher incidences of gill-related conditions such as Complex Gill Diseases (CGD), impacting fish health by damaging gill function, increasing mortalities, reducing growth rates and increasing production costs.
In response, Benchmark Genetics has incorporated genomic selection for gill health into its breeding strategy. Over the past four years, its R&D team has led a focused research initiative in collaboration with customers and academic partners such as the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture.
This work has improved understanding of gill health through refined disease challenge models and field-based performance testing. Findings indicate that targeted phenotyping, supported by genomics, can reduce susceptibility to complex, multifactorial conditions such as CGD,
Overall, the development shows that genetic breeding is a powerful tool for addressing the industry’s challenges. When advanced genetics is combined with good operational practices, it lays the foundation for more robust, sustainable and profitable salmon production.
New research from Benchmark Genetics shows that genetic resistance to CGD is heritable and can be improved using genomic selection.
Read more about the research here:
