BRFC Accepts DNA Testing of Potential Record Fish

The BRFC held its latest annual meeting to ratify records on 1st March 2006. The meeting also considered the issue of whether DNA testing should be used to assist in the identification of fish which could potentially be hybrids.

Before the committee were the results of the recent field trial in which Dr Bernd Hanfling’s team at the University of Hull had DNA tested various samples collected by Graham Marsden, Mark Wintle and myself to establish whether or not they came from true Crucian Carp.

The committee decided that DNA would be a useful tool in determining the identity of the species of fish submitted for record claims and a meeting is now being arranged between the freshwater members of the BRFC and Bernd Hanfling, Graham Marsden, Mark Wintle and myself to determine the process for collecting and storing DNA samples for testing.

“What needs to happen now is that Andy, Mark and Graham to meet up asap with myself and the other coarse representatives of the BRFC to establish an acceptable means of collecting a non-invasive sample,” said BRFC member Marsh Pratley.

The decision of the BRFC to use DNA represents a huge step forward in the identification of fish submitted for records.

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