In a groundbreaking move for the aquaculture industry, Brazilian Fish, a leader in tilapia production in Brazil unveils its entry into a new era of genomic technology, setting a new standard for innovation and disruptive solutions that will transform the tilapia market, enhance productivity, and deliver benefits to consumers.
Similar to selective breeding which yields stronger genetic variations over time, genome editing precisely targets and accelerates genetic changes that would naturally occur. Instead of taking many years in a breeding program, this beneficial variation can now be introduced in a single generation. By harnessing genome editing, Brazilian Fish can rapidly and accurately introduce beneficial genetic changes. Genome editing has the potential to support disease resistance, enhance health, improve feed efficiency, and advance growth performance, all while yielding environmental benefits for commercial tilapia breeding operations.
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- Tilapia from the same spawning showing the genetically edited animal (right) and non-edited control animal (left). There is a marked increase in growth, feed efficiency and fillet yield.
With robust investments in research and development for genetic improvement of the species, the company has established a strategic partnership with the U.S. based Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT) to perform genome editing on specific genetic regions of interest in Nile tilapia. CAT is one of the sector’s leading pioneers of genetic innovation and through extensive testing of genome editing across various aquatic species, CAT has achieved significant improvements in key traits. The goal of this partnership is to enhance production performance and increase fillet yield. This advanced breeding technology allows the progress of a normal breeding program over 20 years to be completed in as little as a single year, contributing to the efficiency and competitiveness of national aquaculture in Brazil. For the industry, genome editing offers a real opportunity to drive innovation while supporting environmental stewardship.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. John Buchanan, CEO of CAT, said, “This achievement underscores the transformative potential of genome editing in advancing the industry, offering sustainable and responsible solutions to meet the growing global food demand. We are thrilled to celebrate this milestone with the team at Brazilian Fish. The dedication and hard work from both sides has been exceptional.”
Explaining one of the key opportunity genome editing holds for the industry, John adds, “Improving feed efficiency is crucial because it directly impacts the sustainability and profitability of aquaculture operations. It refers to how effectively fish can convert feed into body mass, meaning less feed is required to achieve the desired growth. Improved feed efficiency benefits the environment by reducing the overall amount of feed needed, which lowers the demand for raw materials and reduces waste – genome editing delivers this opportunity.”
Today’s announcement marks two years of work; “to develop tilapia using these advanced breeding methods, CAT scientists, working with our research and development team here at Brazilian Fish, conducted reproduction trials and produced fertilized eggs that will help create genetic improvements for better growth, yield, and feed efficiency. After two years of planning and research, the first animals were successfully produced. These fish are now carefully separated and ready for performance and genomic evaluations. These improved lines will benefit from further enhancement as part of the ongoing Brazilian Fish selective breeding program,” shares Ramon Amaral, CEO of Brazilian Fish.
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- Ramon Amaral, CEO of Brazilian Fish, and John Buchanan, CEO of the Center for Aquaculture Technologies, formalize a strategic partnership to drive advancements in tilapia breeding through genome editing program, in Brazil.
Genome editing offers transformative benefits enabling the production of tilapia with superior production characteristics compared to current Brazilian tilapia farming standards. This innovation will result in a shorter grow-out period and reduced feed consumption during the grow-out stages. For consumers, this translates to increased availability of healthy and nutritious food.
“As a pioneering Brazilian aquaculture company, Brazilian Fish, together with CAT, will deliver a disruptive solution that will drive technological transformation in industrial tilapia farming in Brazil. In addition to providing consumers with increased access to safe and nutritious food, this initiative will promote greater sustainability and competitiveness in the sector, positioning tilapia as an even more accessible and competitive alternative to other animal proteins in the global market,” adds Amaral.
Buchanan concluded, “Commercializing innovation to drive productivity, sustainability and to feed people is our core purpose at CAT. We are excited to see the fruits of innovation becoming realized with high-integrity collaborators at Brazilian Fish.”