A recently approved EMBRC-BE Joint Development Activity (JDA), Broodstock characterization for pedigree management in whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei, aims to develop a service for the emerging sector of European shrimp producers.
For years, Europe has been a major market for penaeid shrimp, however, local production is a relatively recent phenomenon. Presently, 13 EU countries produce about 450 tons annually, mostly in indoor recirculating aquaculture systems.
The JDA aims to help European shrimp breeders keep their broodstock healthy in terms of genetic diversity and levels of inbreeding. For this purpose, it intends to genotype shrimp broodstock families that are produced by European producers and research institutes.
European shrimp breeders can get insights into the genetics of their stocks for free. For more information visit www.euroshrimp.net/Genetic-broodstock-characterisation.
The JDA is a partnership between the Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center (ARC), Ghent University, and the Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics (LBEG), KU Leuven.
