Development and assessment of new DNA-based indicators for evaluating the ecological impacts

The development and assessment of new DNA-based indicators represent a promising advancement for evaluating the ecological impacts of coastal marine industries, particularly salmon aquaculture in Norway. Traditional monitoring methods, which rely on morphological identification of benthic fauna, are often time-consuming, taxonomically challenging, and may fail to capture the full extent of biodiversity responses to aquaculture activities. In contrast, DNA-based approaches, such as environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, enable high-resolution, cost-effective, and standardized assessments of community composition and ecological status. By targeting taxonomic groups that are sensitive to organic enrichment and other aquaculture-related stressors, these molecular indicators can provide early and precise signals of environmental change. Developing such indicators tailored to Norwegian fjord systems and aquaculture practices will strengthen ecological monitoring frameworks.