DNA Detectives Able to 'Count' Thousands of Fish Using as Little as a Glass of Water

Researchers also for the first time used DNA from water samples to discern which of the species were most plentiful in the tank.


Being able to determine the relative abundance of fish species in a body of water is the next step in possibly using modern DNA identification techniques to census fish in the open ocean, according to Ryan Kelly, University of Washington assistant professor of marine and environmental affairs, and lead author of a paper in the Jan. 15 issue of PLOS ONE.


Sardines, tuna and turtles are among the species in the Monterey Bay Aquarium Open Sea tank where scientists successfully used the latest DNA techniques as a new way to tally the fish in the tank.