Genetic improvement is often expected to function as a problemsolving tool, called upon to address specific challenges such as disease outbreaks, reduced survival, or declining performance. Although genetic selection can help to overcome problems (e.g., Norris, 2017), this framing underestimates its more structural role in aquaculture production.
We argue that the principal value of genetic progress lies not in the resolution of individual problems, but in the sustained improvement of overall biological efficiency and productivity. Analogous patterns can be observed in other industries. In commercial aviation, for example, safety did not emerge from efforts to eliminate individual failure events, but rather from decades of cumulative, incremental improvements in aircraft design, training and operational procedures (Winter et al., 2024).
A similar mechanism operates in breeding programs. Longterm genetic selection systematically improves the performance of populations, affecting multiple traits simultaneously. Genetic trends from Hendrix Genetics' commercial breeding programs for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and whiteleg shrimp (Litopeneaus vannamei) demonstrate consistent improvements in growth, survival and yield. When viewed alongside broader industry performance trends, these data indicate that genetic improvement constitutes a major driver of efficiency and productivity gains in aquaculture.
By reframing genetic improvement as a longterm efficiency strategy rather than a shortterm solution provider, we seek to align expectations between breeders and producers. Recognising where genetic improvement can generate the most meaningful impact is essential to maximize its contribution to sustainable performance of the aquaculture industry.
References
Norris, A. (2017). Application of genomics in salmon aquaculture breeding programs by Ashie Norris: Who knows where the genomic revolution will lead us? Marine Genomics 36, 13-15. doi: 10.1016/j.margen.2017.11.013
Rice, S., Winter, S.R., & O'Brien, J. (2024). The underrated value of incremental research in aviation. Collegiate Aviation Review International, 42 (2), 167-180. doi: ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/CARI/article/view/9996/8836