SAUGEYE, A HYBRID OF WALLEYE AND SAUGER, IS A HIGHLY POPULAR SPORT FISH, PRODUCED AND STOCKED FOR RECREATION IN 12 U.S. STATES. BECAUSE OF ITS POPULARITY, MARKET POTENTIAL, AND TRAITS WELL-SUITED FOR AQUACULTURE, SAUGEYE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A PRIORITY SPECIES FOR AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT (NCRAC, USDA). BARRIERS THAT HAVE PREVENTED SAUGEYE AQUACULTURE ESTABLISHMENT INCLUDE RELIANCE ON WILD BROODSTOCK AS SOURCE OF GAMETES AND POTENTIAL OF ESCAPEES TO CONTAMINATE WILD GENE-POOLS OF PARENTAL SPECIES. THIS PROJECT WILL UTILIZE TECHNIQUES PROVEN EFFECTIVE TO ADDRESS SIMILAR CHALLENGES/BARRIERS IN OTHER CULTURED SPECIES. PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE 1) DEVELOPMENT OF CONVENTIONAL POLYPLOIDY METHODS AND INNOVATIVE GENETIC MANIPULATION TECHNIQUES ( STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION) TO PRODUCE TETRAPLOID SAUGEYE, WHICH CAN BE CROSSED WITH NORMAL (DIPLOID) SAUGEYE TO PRODUCE STERILE TRIPLOID PROGENIES WITH LOW-COSTS, AND HIGH-YIELDS, AND 2) CONDUCT FIRST INVESTIGATION OF SAUGEYE DOMESTICATION (PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF SECOND GENERATION). THE PROJECT'S LONG-TERM GOAL IS ESTABLISHMENT OF SAUGEYE AS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FOOD-FISH FOR PRIVATE U.S. AQUACULTURE. OUR ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY WILL LEAD TO ESTABLISHMENT OF SAUGEYE AQUACULTURE AND RESULT IN A MORE DIVERSE, RESILIENT, AND HIGH-TECH U.S. AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE INVALUABLE TRAINING FOR THE POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW (PD) BEFORE SHE ENTERS A PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH CAREER. THE PROJECT FALLS WITHIN THE AREA OF SPECIALIZATION THE PD HAS CHOSEN AND WITH THE PROPOSED TRAINING, SHE WILL BECOME AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER, CAPABLE OF COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH AND EFFICIENT TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION. SHE WILL ALSO GAIN EXPERIENCE AS AN INSTRUCTOR AND MENTOR AND PREPARE FOR A CAREER IN ACADEMIA.