Aquaculture and fisheries genetics breed improvement, selective breeding and genetic conservation broodstock, fry & fingerling evaluation
Tilapia, Salmon, Trout, Shrimp, Prawn, Penaeus, Litopenaeus, Macrobrachium, Oreochromis
Genetic Computation Limited (GCL) is a private consulting company in aquaculture and fisheries genetics and conservation. The emphasis is selective breeding procedures that minimize inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity, while achieving rapid genetic gain in production traits. Genetic Computation Ltd. has worked with, and is continuing to work with, some of the world's largest aquaculture companies as well as with much smaller companies to design low-cost, low inbreeding, genetic improvement systems. GCL also consults on genetic biodiversity and genetic contamination issues, breeder's rights and the economic value of indigenous aquacultural genetic resources.
The original purpose of this website was educational, to point out some important, new papers which have been published in journals that are not primarily devoted to aquaculture or fisheries. The papers give useful insights on the management of broodstock, breeding, stock and strain improvement, disease susceptibility, and genetic conservation. The journals can be hard to find in many parts of the world. The "Hard-to-find papers" button at the top of the page will take you to the titles of the publications I came across, with my notes on why they deserve notice.
The most recent posting to the Hard-to-find papers page was in late 2009. I intend to begin posting again when pressure of work eases off a bit. (This was written in October 2015.)
Genetic Computation Limited routinely encounters papers which are relevant to aquaculture and fisheries genetics and conservation, but have appeared in scientific journals that are hard to find in many parts of the world where aquaculture is practised. The lists of papers include brief comments on why the papers might be important.
Comments on these papers - or the associated opinions - are welcome. E-mail to rdoyle@genecomp.com
Resources
If you don't have easy access to a good library the following on-line technical dictionaries may be helpful:
Currently President of Genetic Computation Ltd., a consulting company in aquaculture and conservation genetics. Retired Professor of Biology and Founding Director of the Marine Gene Probe Laboratory at Dalhousie University in Canada. Former President of the International Association for Aquaculture Genetics and former Coordinator of the Aquaculture Genetics Network in Asia.
MSc and PhD in Biology from Yale University, MSc in Oceanography and Hons. BSc. in Biology and Chemistry from Dalhousie University. Research and study fellowships from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO: Denmark), the FAO Co-operative Program (Rome), the International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna) and the International Development Research Centre (Singapore).
More than 100 publications in ecology and theoretical and applied genetics, plus editorial appointments, invited keynote lectures, consultancies and visiting professorships in aquaculture, fisheries, fisheries genetics and conservation genetics. Awards include the Elvira E.O. Tan Research Award (South East Asian Fisheries Development Center) and the APICS research gold medal.
Extensive research, development and commercial experience in tilapia, salmon, carp and shrimp genetics (Macrobrachium, L. vannamei, P. monodon) in the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Ongoing research programs focus on the effect of long-term domestication on commercially important fitness traits in aquaculture, the maintenance of founder genome diversity in aquacultural broodstocks, and the estimation of inbreeding in aquacultural populations and its effect on susceptibility to disease and environmenal stress.