Genome Atlantic has received federal funding that gives the green light a new research project which would bring back Atlantic cod on dinner plates all over the world. Genome Atlantic informed that this project is four-year old and worth $5.8 million. It is titled cod aquaculture genomics project. As the new of finding announced Dr. Steve Armstrong, President and CEO, Genome Atlantic, expressed joy and said that it is a great day for aquaculture in Atlantic Canada.
Genome Atlantic is a non-profit organization which received $3 million from ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund to solve the aquaculture industry’s challenge of early maturation in cod, which can account for significant financial losses due to increased production time and decreased product quality.
Armstrong told that this project builds on our world-recognized cod expertise to help bring the industry to a point where it can compete globally. Based on global demand for food protein, cod farming has the potential to become a $545-million industry in the Atlantic region. Armstrong explained that the new C-ADAP3T project (Comparative Assessment of Diploid and Polyploid Physiology and Production Traits) will use genomics and selective breeding to develop sterile production fish to overcome the early maturation barrier.
It is told that Genome Atlantic led the development of this project, and will manage its overall progress. This project is unique in its nature and would be of great help to bring back the Atlantic cod on business again.
