The breeders will be produced by GenoMar from its state-of-the-art hatchery and multiplier facilities in Lubao, Pampanga for exclusive use by its partner hatcheries. The bio-engineering aspects of the facility was designed by Dr. Patrick White (Akvaplan-niva, Norway) while the construction management was headed by Terje Berger of GenoMar Supreme Philippines.
Under the commercial alliance, these hatcheries will be putting up new investments in order to upgrade their hatchery facilities that will conform with the new production standards and quality assurance protocol set by GenoMar Supreme Philippines.
These partner hatcheries are LHP Farms (San Isidro, Cabuyao, Laguna), Rivera Aquaculture Philippines, Inc. (Niugan, Angat, Bulacan), TGA Farms, Inc. (San Roque, Bitas, Arayat, Pampanga), A&L Fishpond and Hatchery Inc. (San Roque, Camaligan, Camarines Sur), GenoMar Sta. Rosa (Soledad, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija) Peter Mountain Farm (Tibagan, Tarlac City) and Philnar Aqua (Quezon, Nueva Ecija). A special agreement has also been made with the GIFT Foundation International, Inc. to produce GenoMar Supreme Tilapia fingerlings through its pilot hatchery located in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
The GenoMar Supreme Tilapia was developed from the GIFT Super Tilapia strain which was acquired from the GIFT Foundation International located in CLSU Campus, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija by GenoMar ASA (Norway). Since then, GenoMar has conducted selections for three more generations by means of DNA fingerprinting techniques.
With this technology, DNA tools were scientifically applied to enhance traditional selective breeding, thereby making the selection differential increased significantly. In 1999, the commercial right to produce this tilapia strain was transferred by GenoMar to its subsidiary GenoMar Supreme Philippines in 1999.
Historically, this variety originated from the GIFT tilapia that was developed throughout the GIFT (Genetic Improvement of Farmed Tilapia) project, which was conducted by ICLARM in cooperation with BFAR/NFFTRC, FAC/CLSU and AKVAFORSK, from 1987 to 1997 at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU).