Selective breeding - The key to sustainability in aquaculture

Selective breeding - the key to sustainability in aquaculture

Selective breeding is an important aspect of fish farming activities in Iceland. Genetically selected stocks will play an important role in development and ensure the best use of the environment and at the same time improve production cost-efficiency. In Iceland, selective breeding programmes exist for Atlantic salmon, Arctic char and Atlantic cod. The main objectives of selective breeding programmes today are:

• Faster growth

• Later sexual maturity

• Higher resistance to diseases (higher survival)

• Better flesh quality (lower fat-content, colour, texture etc.)

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The Atlantic salmon strain, which Stofnfiskur has been farming since 1991, is called Saga, a stock based on three Norwegian strains, Mowi, Bolak and Sunndalsøra. These formed the basis of the company’s early breed selections. Fish produced from the Saga broodstock have proved to be significantly superior to those bred from the originally imported stocks. Compared with other strains, Saga progeny achieve faster growth rates, later sexual maturity and higher resistance to disease. Stofnfiskur is the only company in the world with the ability to produce salmon eggs on a year-round basis, an achievement based on dynamic breed selection and top quality research.

Artic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) 

The Hólar University College Arctic char breeding programme began in 1992, based on a few stocks from the rivers and lakes in Iceland.   In 1998, Hólar University College and the Ministry of Agriculture concluded a special agreement pertaining to the breeding of Icelandic Arctic char. The agreement guarantees the breeding project operational capital and sets an administrative framework for it.
Stofnfiskur’s Arctic char breeding programme began in 1991, based on stock from the River Grenilækur. The Grenilækur strain is renowned for its dark dorsal side and silvery abdomen. More recently, breed selection activities have been expanded to include two additional strains.  

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

The company Icecod was established in the year 2003 to take care of the cod breeding program in Iceland. Icecod’s main shareholders are Stofnfiskur, Marine Research Institute, Fiskey, Hradfrystihusid-Gunnvor and HB Grandi. Juvenile production is located at Hafnir, Reykjanes peninsula.  On-growing is located at the Hradfrystihusid-Gunnvor sea cage station in Isafjardardjup and the HB Grandi sea cage station in Berufjordur.  Over 705 family groups were produced from 10 different spawning sites around Iceland. Approximately 350 viable families have been established and will be used to form the base population for the selection programme.  The project has a support grant from the AVS R&D Fund of Ministry of Fisheries in Iceland; (AVS stands for Added Value in Seafood). 

 Valdimar Ingi Gunnarsson