This Background document provides a summary of recently developed biotechnologies that could be used of biotechnologies that could be used or more widely used, in the fishery sector in developing countries. Genetic biotechnologies that can be used in fishers and in aquaculture include those that help to mange genetic resource and those for genetic improvement.

Several kinds of DNA markers exist, such as RFLPs, AFLOs, KAPDs and microsatellites. These, as well as other kinds of markers, can be used to analyse gene frequencies and genetic variation in and between different groups of fish. Studies carried out using these technologies in fish populations have revealed high levels of genetic variation distributed throughout the fish genome.