PROPOSAL ABSTRACT The meagre, Argyrosomus regius (Asso y del Rio 1801) is one of the emerging and promising aquaculture species in the Mediterranean region. The aquaculture of the meagre has a history of about 20 years and together with the greater amberjack are the biggest fish for the future of markets' expansion of the Mediterranean aquaculture industry because the species exhibit fast body growth and processing potential without competing with the two existing and emblematic species, the gilthead sea bream and the European sea bass. The objective of the "MeagreGen" research project is multidimensional and is based on the synergy between the two major aquaculture companies with long-standing experience in the genetic selection of the sea bream and sea bass, and the three leading Greek research partners in quantitative genetics and genomics. Initially, the genetic polymorphism of the meagre cultured in Greek companies will be assessed and evaluated, because a successful genetic improvement program is a prerequisite for a good start and a base population with abundant genetic diversity. The sequencing of the genome and the transcriptome in the meagre will then be undertaken, utilizing cutting-edge methodologies and technologies that will place the species in the full-fledged elite fish. The construction of a very good transcriptome, a very dense linkage mapping and genome sequencing are elements interrelated with the future mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) which are required for the application Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) or Genomic Selection (GS) programs. Finally, the first pilot breeding program will be launched in the meagre by continuing with more in-depth preliminary exploratory work by detecting QTL and applying the first MAS to a new generation that will be analyzed and evaluated before the end of the proposed project.
