Developing Hybrid Oyster Seeds for Alaska Shellfish Growers

Oyster farming in Alaska relies on seeds produced using broodstock that have not been optimized for growth in Alaska. This practice can result in inconsistent yield performances of farmed oysters that hinder growth of the industry. Pacific Hybreed and NOAA scientists are conducting a Joint Innovation Project to select families with improved yields in Alaska waters. This proposal is an opportunity to build on these initial efforts by performing additional crosses of the best-performing oysters identified from the initial experiment, and outplant them in Alaska oyster farms. Specific hybrid lines will be produced using families from a long-term breeding program for the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, that consists of a broodstock repository, two hatcheries, and test sites along the U.S. Pacific Coast.

Based on the results from ongoing fieldwork, we propose to (1) produce ‘elite single-hybrids’ (i.e., best-performing, 1st-generation hybrids) for on-farm trials and (2) develop ‘double-crosses’ by crossing unrelated, elite singlehybrids as a marketable product. Double hybrids are known for their overall improved performances and better biological resilience to the environment.

Production of the new hybrid families will be conducted in hatcheries operated by Pacific Hybreed, using genotyped oysters from family lines held in the broodstock repository. Hybrid seeds will be evaluated at Little Port Walter and in shellfish farms in Southeast and Southcentral Alaska for on-farm trials to evaluate the farm yield of hybrid oysters. In situ environmental parameters will be recorded, in addition to the yield and genotype data for the animals. We anticipate identification of specific double hybrids for the colder growing environments in Alaska and development of single-hybrid lines for consistent production of the double-hybrid varieties for the Alaska shellfish industry.

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