Sablefish Genetics: Near Seattle, Scientists Look For Easier Ways To Grow The Fish

PORT ORCHARD — The dark-gray fish prized for its buttery flavor live deep in the ocean, so researchers keep their lab cold and dark to simulate ideal conditions for sablefish larvae.

A biologist shines his dim red headlamp and uses an ultrasound to scan the belly of an anesthetized sablefish about the length of his forearm to tell if it’s female and has eggs to collect. He gently squeezes out hundreds of tiny, translucent eggs into a glass beaker.

Once the eggs are fertilized externally, they’ll grow in large indoor tanks and some in floating net pens in Puget Sound to be used for research.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Associated Press