The Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT) team joined leading scientists, industry experts, and policymakers in Chile at the end of November for the First International Meeting on Genome Editing in Aquaculture.
On the opening day of the event, organized by EDIGEN and the University of Chile in Puerto Varas, participants heard presentations on advances in genome editing and genomics applied to atlantic salmon, coho salmon, tilapia and trout. Topics included editing for disease resistance traits, including SRS, IPN, BKD , and sea lice, as well as the regulatory requirements for implementation in Chile.
The first CAT speaker was Dr. Matthew Josephson , Genome Editing – Commercialization Manager, who shared the transformative potential of genome editing and the value it can deliver to producers; higher growth, improved FCR, increased yield, and reduced management costs when sterility is included as a production trait.
Matt outlined the key requirements for integrating genome editing into breeding programs and highlighted several milestones CAT has achieved while scaling this technology for commercial aquaculture. He also shared practical examples from his work with both salmon and tilapia.
Dr. Matthew Josephson during his talk
“Successful use of genome editing in commercial aquaculture demands high-throughput, high-efficiency editing capabilities and the ability to work where the fish are – through our mobile laboratory. Importantly, genome editing will not replace traditional breeding; it will become a powerful addition to the toolbox, accelerating genetic improvement and enabling performance gains.”
Setting the stage for a key theme that his colleague Dr. Yehwa Jin would explore in depth, Matt emphasized the foundational role of sterility in responsible and scalable genome editing.
“Achieving 100% sterility remains the key that unlocks broader biotechnology adoption by addressing the concerns of regulators, producers, and stakeholders alike. Over the next five years, genome editing will drive major sustainability benefits, boost productivity, and reduce the resources required to produce fish and shellfish -ultimately allowing integrated genome-edited breeding programs to reach true commercial scale.”
The second day of the event continued with a series of scientific presentations showcasing the latest advances in genomics and genome editing applications in aquaculture.
During the “In Vivo Gene Editing” session, CAT Research Scientist Yehwa presented on the importance and opportunity of sterility as a foundational trait. She explained that a core requirement for commercial deployment of genome editing is ensuring edited fish are sterile or otherwise effectively contained. Yehwa shared CAT’s most recent strategies for reliably producing sterile, monosex populations at scale.
Dr. Yehwa Jin
Yehwa concluded:
“Sterile stocks have the potential to fundamentally transform the sustainability of aquaculture. We now know that 100% sterility is achievable through a genome-editing approach, giving us a reliable and scalable pathway to enhance performance while directly addressing key farming challenges. This work not only resolves regulatory and stakeholder concerns, it also lays the foundation for the next generation of aquatic biotechnologies.”
The event closed with a series of short presentations on emerging technologies. Genome Editing Research Manager Dr. Ashutosh Pudasaini presented CAT’s progress in genome editing for Pacific white shrimp (L. vannamei). While several editing methods have been reported in shrimp, with varying degrees of success, Ashutosh highlighted that challenges remain around enzyme delivery and achieving commercially viable survival rates to adulthood.
Despite these hurdles, CAT is in the early R&D stages of applying genome editing at a commercial scale in shrimp and has successfully created and grown edited shrimp beyond PL20+, demonstrating meaningful progress toward scalable deployment.
Ashutosh noted:
“Microinjection remains one of the most technically advanced approaches available, and our recent successes in precise genome editing show just how powerful it can be. With consistent access to embryos and state-of-the-art facilities, CAT is exceptionally well-positioned to scale this work and lead innovation in the field.”
Dr. Ashutosh Pudasaini
CAT’s contributions at the First International Meeting on Genome Editing in Aquaculture underscored the organization’s leadership in advancing practical and scalable genome editing solutions. With major progress across finfish and shrimp, a strong focus on sterility, and technologies designed for real-world breeding programs, CAT is shaping the future of sustainable aquaculture and accelerating the deployment of next-generation breeding in aquaculture.
CAT team at the event in Puerto Varas, Chile