Earlier this month, the New York Times published an article about Dr. John Carlos Garza’s work in the Klamath River hatchery to use genetic techniques to match up hatchery fish with the goal of improving genetic diversity within the fish population.
This is a promising evolution in hatchery practices that addresses a long-standing concern with the genetic similarity of hatchery fish. Fishery managers and scientists worry that a genetically similar salmon population is more susceptible to being wiped out by a single disease or problems associated with inbreeding. Dr. Garza’s goal is to avoid those problems by painstakingly genetic testing each fish before matching them up to provide the most genetic diversity in their offspring.
The full article is available at New York Times – To Save Its Salmon, California Calls in the Fish Matchmaker.
Photo Brian Baer
Photo Brian Baer
Photo Brian Baer
