DNA modelling promises a breakthrough for seabed sampling

Description

Seabed sampling to assess the impact of fish farms could be speeded up significantly through the use of environmental DNA technology, a research project has concluded.

The “MeioMetBar” study took the form of a six-year collaboration between regulators, researchers and fish farmers in Scotland and Germany.

Marine benthic invertebrates are essential for maintaining the natural ecosystem, helping to process biomass and protect the health of farmed and wild fish. These sediment-dwelling animals can also act as bioindicators of the effects of human activity on seabed health. Because of this, they are monitored by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and operators of marine fish farms to ensure that farms are operating sustainably