SCCWRP asked to host national workshop on transitioning eDNA to management applications

SCCWRP has been asked to host a national scientific workshop next year focused on helping water-quality managers make use of the DNA that aquatic organisms shed into their environment – known as environmental DNA, or eDNA – to better understand marine biodiversity.

The 2nd National Workshop on Marine eDNA, scheduled for February 1-4, 2022, will work to identify research gaps necessary to incorporate eDNA technology into environmental management, as well as strengthen partnerships among researchers and managers.

eDNA-based monitoring has the potential to serve as a cost-effective complement and/or alternative to traditional morphology-based monitoring, which revolves around sampling specific types of aquatic organisms. eDNA has the potential to offer insights about a broader range of organisms, and with greater speed and accuracy than traditional approaches.

The workshop is scheduled to be an in-person meeting at SCCWRP, with select portions available for remote participation. Registration is now open for the workshop.