The development and application of genomics has been facilitated in a number
of fields by the availability of new methodologies and tools, such as high
throughput DNA sequencing and complementary DNA (cDNA) microarrays. Genomic
tools are already used in research on commercially important fish and
shellfish species. Thousands of expressed sequence tags (EST) are now
available for some of these species, and the sequencing of complete genomes
of tilapia, cod, salmonids, flatfishes, sea bass and Pacific oyster has been
proposed. Microarray technology through simultaneous analysis of the
expression of thousands of genes allows the identification of candidate
genes involved in the function of multiple physiological, morphological and
behavioural traits of interests in organisms and populations from different
environments. This paper reviews the current development of genomic
technologies, and pinpoints their potential beneficial applications as well
as implications for fisheries management and aquaculture.