Our Fish

The Saint John River (SJR) strain of Atlantic salmon was founded  from wild fish in the 1980s and subsequently developed through selective breeding for commercially important traits, particularly rapid growth and delayed sexual maturation. The Saint John River strain has been grown in both land-based systems and marine net pens for decades.

 

The SalmoGen breeding nucleus is derived from the USDA ARS National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC), which acquired several Atlantic salmon strains in 2003, including Saint John River, Penobscot, Gaspé, and local landlocked strains. The Saint John River (SJR) strain ultimately became the focal stock of the NCWMAC Atlantic Salmon Breeding Program due to its superior growth performance, Continent of Origin certification, and widespread commercial use.

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Over six generations, the USDA breeding program focused selection on commercially important traits, including growth, carcass weight, fillet color, fat content, and sea lice resistance. Today, SalmoGen is estimated to be working with approximately the 10th generation of this breeding line, with continued selection focused on maintaining strong growth performance across varying environmental conditions.