ADOPTION OF DNA BARCODING IN FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN EGYPT
The Egypt's marine fish stocks are now facing extreme fishing pressure. Widespread overfishing has fully exploited, over-exploited or depleted up to 75-80% of fish stocks in Egypt. Also, fish stocks were below desired levels and still require rebuilding, in spite of the numerous restrictions that have been imposed by Fisheries Authority to promote more sustainable fisheries management. Aquaculture is the main source for the supply of seafood in Egypt. Farming old species such as, European sea bass, Gilthead sea bream, and others are becoming not profitable. So, it is important to use new species for farming in aquaculture to improve the product diversity, profit, and protect endangered economic species in fisheries. The process by which new species comes to aquaculture is called "domestication". Adoption of DNA barcoding will help to advance the domestication process and help to identify the identity of fishes endemic to Egyptian coastal waters and protect future market of Egyptian fish production from imported fish commodities. This study was conducted on finfish, crustacean, cephalopods and bivalve samples from the fishery grounds of the Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Lake Bardwell in Egypt. The studied species were represented by (Bogue; Brushtooth lizasrdfish; Caranx spp; Chub mackerel; Crabes nei, marine; Cuttlefish, common; Emperors(=Scavengers); European seabass; Groupers nei; Indian mackerel; Largehead hairtail; Meagre; Mullets nei; Narrow - barred spanish mackerel; Red mullet; Red porgy; Saddled seabream; Sardinellas nei; Sea cucumbers nei; Sharks; rays; skates; Shells nei marine; Shrimps nei Penaeus; Sigans; Silverside(=Sand smelts); Snapper nei; Sole, common; Sphyraena spp; Spotted seabass; Threadfin breams; Tylosurus spp; Anchovy; Bluefish; Bream; sargo; False scad; Gilthead seabream; Grey gurnard; and white seabream). In this study, the sequencing of an approximately 650 base pair (bp) region of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene has characteristics of being rapid, cost effective for the identification of a diverse range of aquatic animal lineages with accuracy of more than 97%. In addition to species identification purpose, we have gained another applicable benefit of this mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus to provide fisheries authorities in Egypt with information concerning assessments of the diversity, distributions of specimens to conserve for uptake into their regulatory fishery framework. In conclusion, this DNA barcoding of aquatics species in coastal water of Egypt gave benefits not only to aquaculturists and fisheries managers, but also to different users such as, Taxonomist, Ecologist, Conservationist, Legal (police, customs), Human/animal health, Environmental protection and biodiversity utilization (e.g. fish management).