Martec (a leading player in Central American aquaculture) and independent genetics experts Xelect have recently announced a new partnership to create the first large-scale genetic breeding program for Spotted Rose Snapper (Lutjanus guttatus).
Martec is a fully integrated, BAP Certified producer, based in the tropical paradise
of Quepos, Costa Rica. By joining forces with Xelect they will be able to introduce
advanced modern genetic techniques, balancing pedigree control and inbreeding
with continuous gains in important traits through selective breeding. This will be
critical as they ramp up their production to 10,000MT per year.
Xelect’s breeding program manager, Dr Carlos Diaz Gil, commented “The first
step is developing a bespoke genetic marker panel for Martec, which allows them to
analyse genetic relatedness. We’ll then effectively work as an in-house genetics
department for them, analysing hundreds of thousands of possible breeding
combinations to create the best possible improvements in key traitsâ€.
Tony Broadhurst, Martec’s Technical Director, added “After more than a decade
applying traditional methods, we’re starting to use 21st century technology to choose
the best fish for breeding our future generationsâ€.
Xelect’s CEO, Prof Ian Johnston, sees this as part of a rapid shift towards genetics
becoming ‘the norm’ for producers of all sizes. “In the last couple of years, we’re
increasingly seeing all the main producers switching to genetics backed breeding.
It’s not just the traditional favourites like salmon, bass and bream – we’ve recently
begun work on a whole range such as rohu carp, tilapia, and pangasius. The whole
industry is waking up to what’s possible.â€
Martec, founded in 1982 in Quepos, Costa Rica, Martec is one of the largest marine fish processing and mariculture companies of Central America. It has operations in Costa Rica, Panama and United States. It is a world leaders in farmed rose snapper. The rose snapper is grown over 12 months in offshore cages off coast of Quepos, Costa Rica; from fingerlings to fingerling to 500g fish.
