Synergies between aquaculture and fisheries

Flatfishes have been the subject of research in support of their management in fisheries, use in restocking of natural populations, and domestication in aquaculture. Their life history and habitat also make flatfishes valuable models for ecotoxicology research. Their unique ontogeny, from bilateral to asymmetric, also makes them a compelling target for evolution and developmental studies. Advances from one field can contribute to progress in other fields, especially for species that are important in aquaculture but poorly known in the wild. The benefits of knowledge exchange between studies of wild and cultured populations are often overlooked, as are the synergies which have arisen from work on the same species under different conditions. Significant synergies have arisen through the development of genomics tools, contributing to advances in aquaculture, ecotoxicology, and understanding of population structure and local adaptations.