The Norwegian Sea and adjacent waters are inhabited by one of the largest fish stocks in the world, the Norwegian spring-spawning herring (NSSH). All herring caught in the Norwegian Sea are per definition allocated to the NSSH stock and assessed as a single stock. However, there is evidence that other putative populations co-occur and mix with “true” NSSH. A reliable and precise population identification methods is needed to identify all herring populations being present in the management area of the NSSH stock. 

Therefore, the main goal of ISIHER is to develop genetic markers able to differentiate all occurring herring populations. This will be achieved by state-of-the-art methodologies such as whole genome sequencing.

Furthermore, this project will establish a Nordic network improving collaborating efforts to secure sustainable
assessment and harvesting of marine fish stocks. The expected results of ISIHER will provide unique insights in the population structure of herring in the Norwegian Sea and adjacent waters and can be directly implemented in their stock assessment. ISIHER will provide the urgently needed knowledge on how to discriminate summer/autumn-spawning herring populations in the Norwegian Sea and adjacent waters. Utilizing state-of-the-are genomic methods will create in-depth knowledge about genetic differentiation of these populations.

HOVEDPARTNER:

Institute of Marine Research – IMR (NO),  Dr. Florian Berg, florian.berg@hi.no

ANDRE PARTNERE:

1. Institute of Marine Research – IMR (NO)
– Dr. Aril Slotte
– Dr. Erling Kåre Stenevik
– Dr. María Quintela
– Dr. Kevin Glover
2. Marine and Freshwater Research Institute of Iceland – MFRI (IS)
– Dr. Guðmundur J. Óskarsson
– Dr. Christophe Pampoulie
– Dr. Thassya dos Santos Schmidt
– Sigurvin Bjarnason
3. Faroe Marine Research Institute – Havstovan (FO)
– Dr. Eydna í Homrum
– Dr. Jan Arge Jacobsen
4. Uppsala University – UU (SWE)
– Prof. Leif Andersson
5. University of the Faroe Islands (FO)
– Dr. Sunnvør í Kongsstovu
6. Technical University of Denmark – DTU-Aqua (DK)
– Dr. Dorte Bekkevold
7. Greenland Institute of Natural Resources – GINR (GL)
– Dr. Daniel Estévez-Barcia

Støtte fra AG-Fisk:
DKK 965.000