Gene Conservation Laboratory

Collecting Fish & Shellfish Tissue Samples

Tissue samples for DNA analysis are typically taken from live or recently dead fish. Fin tissue is often used because sampling is relatively fast, logistically simple, and is non-lethal. Fin clips from a population may be placed in separate vials (one sample per vial) of in a single common bottle and preserved in ethanol. Tissue samples collected for allozyme analysis (heart, liver, muscle, eye) can also be used for DNA analysis, increasing the amount of genetic information from each sample.