**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL KNOCKOUT THE MYOSTATIN GENE IN FARMED US CATFISH, WHICH IS A NEGATIVE GROWTH REGULATOR. IN OTHER WORDS, IT SLOWS DOWN GROWTH AND IF WE KNOCK IT OUT, INCREASED GROWTH IS EXPECTED. ALSO, THE NUMBER OF MUSCLE FIBERS WILL INCREASE THAT MAY AFFECT TEXTURE IN A POSITIVE WAY. THE US IMPORTS MANY TIMES MORE SEAFOOD PRODUCTS THAN WHAT WE PRODUCE, WHICH DAMAGES OUR US ECONOMY AND OUR FISH FARMING COMMUNITIES FINANCIALLY. HAVING GENETICALLY IMPROVED FISH THAT CAN IMPROVE PRODUCTION AND FLESH QUALITY COULD HAVE MAJOR EFFECTS ON FARM INCOME AS WELL AS OTHER STEPS IN THE VALUE CHAIN, HELPING THE US ECONOMICALLY AS WELL AS MAKING US LESS DEPENDENT ON OTHER COUNTRIES FOR PROTEIN, WHICH IN REALITY IS A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT. THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE/GOAL IS TO GENETICALLY IMPROVE THE OVERALL GENOTYPE/PHENOTYPE OF BOTH CHANNEL CATFISH AND THE F1 HYBRID BETWEEN CHANNEL CATFISH FEMALES AND THE BLUE CATFISH MALES AS SECTORS OF THE CATFISH INDUSTRY USE BOTH. OUR EXPECTED RESULT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENETICALLY ENHANCED CATFISH IMPROVED FOR GROWTH, FEED CONVERSION EFFICIENCY, TEXTURE AND DISEASE RESISTANCE, IMPACTING AND BENEFITTING THE HATCHERY, PRODUCER, PROCESSOR AND CONSUMER.