This project will enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. aquaculture industry by providing a cost- effective means of increasing the rate of genetic improvement of hybrid striped bass. We will compare the reproductive, hatchery and grow-out performance of selectively bred hybrid striped bass and backcross hybrid striped bass of common genetic origin. We will also benchmark our findings via comparative trials unselected, commercially available, fingerlings. We will also improve methods of preserving striped bass semen as a means of broadly transferring genetic gains and facilitating low-cost, on-farm selective breeding. This approach will enable us to select potential broodstock from large populations for use in selective breeding in Phase II. In Phase II, we will build on our initial results by: (1) evaluating the potential of different strains of selectively bred hybrid striped bass and backcross hybrid striped bass, (2) utilizing genotyping to track the pedigree of the best-performing progeny from large populations of hybrid striped bass and backcross hybrid striped bass to implement a cost-effective genetic improvement program utilizing combined selection for growth rate. This project will leverage six years of prior work, enabling rapid, broad-based commercial diffusion years ahead of when the results could be transferred by conventional methods. ANTICIPATED RESULTS & POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH This project will dramatically reduce the cost of implementing selective breeding for aquaculture. Results will be broadly transferable to industry, and enable growers to rely on their own female broodstock (which can be selected for on-farm performance) for hybridization using preserved milt from selected, domesticated males. This approach to stock improvement is standard within other livestock industries, but hasn't been implemented within aquaculture. Development of select strains will increase harvest weight and reduce unit production costs. As such, the project holds the potential to shift hybrid striped bass from a successful "niche" product to a $100+ million/year mainstay of the aquaculture industry.
