The selection of trout for high and low responsiveness to stress: progress and prospects

In 1995 the EC commissioned a project (CT95 - 0152, Selective Breeding for Stress Tolerance in Aquacultured Fish) involving a consortium of research labs in four European countries, to investigate the feasibility of selectively breeding aquacultured fish (rainbow trout and sea bream) in order to minimise their responsiveness to common aquaculture stressors. The overall aim of the project was to improve performance by reducing the adverse effects of stress on growth, reproductive effort, and disease resistance. The purpose of this article is to summarise the progress made during that project and how this has led to new lines of research, both applied and fundamental.