Freshwater fish contribute to Canada’s economy both directly and indirectly and are critical for the preservation of freshwater resources and food security. Thriving freshwater fish resources are the lifeblood of many rural, northern, and Indigenous communities and are central to the social and cultural lives of millions of Canadians. Yet over 25% of Canadian freshwater fish stocks are under threat.
The logistical difficulties of monitoring fish in Canada’s 2+ million lakes and countless rivers are compounded by the limitations of conventional sampling methods, which provide only a snapshot. This project will use genomic approaches to develop a Fish Survey Toolkit based on environmental DNA from water samples and a Fish Health Toolkit that will provide quantitative assessments of the health of fish and the stressors they face.
Collectively, these toolkits will enable a complete and accurate assessment of the status of Canada’s freshwater fish resources, save millions of dollars in fish survey costs, and result in additional indirect savings through more effective and directed management actions. Furthermore, and most importantly, the project will ensure the sustainability of Canada’s freshwater fish resources for future generations.
“The GEN-FISH network consists of 24 committed and dedicated scientists who care passionately about the freshwater fishes of Canada and around the world. The GEN-FISH funding will ensure the development of novel, ground-breaking genomic technology to help conserve freshwater fish for generations to come.”
— Dr. Daniel Heath, Professor, University of Windsor
