Stock Improvement and Management

Our activities in this category focus mainly on the following:

• the use of molecular markers for trait selection for strain improvement
• strain identification
• sexing fish
• pedigree analysis
• develop SNP-based stock management tools for blue mussels suitable for broodstock selection and the establishment of a family selection program
• Cross hatchery protocols
• Genetic markers. 

SAICHatch - Pilot-scale hatchery and testing the commercial feasibility of spat production

A SAIC-funded Mussel Stock Management project is being delivered by Shetland UHI and XELECT Ltd in liaison with the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group. This project aims to develop SNP-based stock management tools for blue mussels suitable for broodstock selection and the establishment of a family selection program. It will test first cross hatchery protocols and validate parentage assignment using Shetland farmed mussels of known pedigree.  It will also help support the Stepping Stone Shellfish Hatchery project also being delivered at Shetland UHI in association with the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group.

Key staff working in this field : Victoria Pritchard | Lesley McEvoy | Gregg Arthur 

The main contact for this topic is : lesley.mcevoy@uhi.ac.uk