Mowi’s leadership in advancing DNA-based seabed monitoring
Since 2015, environmental DNA (eDNA) has evolved from an emerging research method to a practical tool for aquaculture management. Mowi has been at the forefront of supporting research and collaborating with partners, Applied Genomics and Benthic Solutions Limited, to implement a DNA-based approach for the monitoring and environmental assessment of fish farms.
The initial objective was to determine whether eDNA could reliably predict the Infaunal Quality Index (IQI), the metric used by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to classify seabed conditions. Monitoring undertaken at Mowi sites examining bacterial and eukaryotic microbiomes alongside benthic meiofauna and invertebrates demonstrated that DNA-derived biodiversity patterns could accurately anticipate traditional macrofaunal IQI classifications. These datasets then contributed to wider sector validation through collaborative research projects supported by the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) strengthening regulatory confidence in microbiome-based IQI modelling.
Beyond scientific validation, the focus has been on practical implementation. From the SAIC research projects, a model was developed for fish farms, featuring standardised workflows, allowing a DNA-based regulatory screening tool to be implemented by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to support environmental compliance.
Two complementary DNA approaches are now in operational practice for Mowi: bacterial microbiome IQI-aligned modelling, for regulatory assessment, and expanded benthic community modelling, integrating bacterial, meiofaunal and invertebrate signals that provide a broader ecological assessment.
A significant regulatory milestone has now been reached with SEPA’s formal classification of seabed surveys at Mowi’s three Cheesebay sites, where DNA-based assessment has been utilised to determine environmental compliance.
This marks the first time DNA has been used in Scotland for fish farm compliance monitoring and is a significant advancement in how the environmental performance of fish farms is measured, which has been largely static since monitoring was first introduced in the 1980s. Mowi has been an industry leader in supporting the introduction of DNA-based monitoring and the associated screening tool developed by SEPA. As part of the early regulatory submissions, we committed to absorbing additional analytical costs to support method validation and strengthen regulatory assurance. This investment reflects our long-term commitment to science-led environmental management and continuous improvement in compliance practice.
Operationally, eDNA monitoring delivers faster turnaround than traditional macrofaunal analysis, strong reproducibility and earlier visibility of seabed trends within the production cycle, enabling proactive management and reducing compliance risk. Now fully operational, this technique strengthens environmental monitoring and drives continuous improvement across Mowi farming operations. Through sustained engagement and innovation, Mowi, in partnership with Applied Genomics and Benthic Solutions, is proud to be at the forefront of science-led environmental stewardship, aligning robust environmental performance with long-term commercial success.
