A breakthrough in aquaculture: mackerel producing tuna

Mayama interviews pioneers who started the startup ‘Fish Dream’ last July, and discusses the current status of the technology and its business potential.

In the heart of Tokyo lies a university that conducts groundbreaking fisheries research. “Initially I was skeptical about the idea of ​​mackerel producing tuna, but after talking to them I realized it all comes down to the human ego, the way we manipulate nature and the importance of passion in these endeavors,” Mayama reflected during his research. .

With the black tuna threatened with extinction, the potential to revive extinct fish species or revolutionize current aquaculture practices is growing. The key lies in mysterious objects inside tiny tubes, where essential cells lie dormant, potentially reshaping the history of the fishing industry.

“We are creating a surrogate fish that can produce offspring of another species,” explains Yoshizaki, who has been researching fish farming techniques for more than 30 years. This surrogate parent technology could lead to the creation of entirely new fish from existing species.

Yoshizaki’s work at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology involves developing technologies that are closely watched worldwide. He has achieved a world first by increasing the number of reproductive cells in the laboratory, with the aim of solving important problems such as the possible extinction of the Pacific black tuna by allowing mackerel to produce tuna.

The challenges are complex and include the creation of sperm and eggs from different fish species, a process that takes twenty years. Yoshizaki humorously notes, “We always say ‘five more years,’ but it’s not a joke; it’s about how we envision the timeline for our experiments.”

This groundbreaking journey continues as they strive to revolutionize aquaculture by turning ideas once thought impossible into reality, navigating uncharted scientific territories without a map.

Source: BIZ