Putting eDNA to the test alongside fisheries surveys
A GMGI eDNA Service Case Study
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The Challenge
Can DNA collected from seawater add to what scientists learn by catching fish using traditional methods?
GMGI is supporting NOAA Fisheries in a study designed to examine that question directly in the northeast U.S. marine ecosystem. Through a competitively awarded federal contract, GMGI will sequence environmental DNA (eDNA) samples collected alongside established bottom-trawl surveys operated by NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center.
The GMGI Approach
GMGI serves as the eDNA service provider for the project, processing filtered seawater samples collected alongside each bottom-trawl station. Using standardized molecular workflows, rigorous quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) and sequencing, GMGI generates consistent and reliable eDNA data that can be used by NOAA scientists to enhance fisheries survey results.
The goal is to provide NOAA Fisheries with a high-quality molecular dataset that can help evaluate what eDNA detects, how consistently it performs, and where it may add information to established monitoring methods.
The Impact
As a sampling method, eDNA can monitor marine fishes, mammals, and turtles from one or two liters of filtered seawater. This GMGI-NOAA collaboration can help researchers understand where eDNA adds information, where it may be more cost-effective, and where its limitations lie in our common pursuit to use advanced technology for assessment and management of living marine resources.
The project also demonstrates GMGI’s ability to deliver rigorous eDNA services for federal research and resource-management applications.
The work will start in January 2027.