 Dexter’s program of rearing threatened and endangered fish relies on this data to provide genetically appropriate fish for stocking, and to monitor the purity of 16 species of endangered fish that are held as refugium stocks.Dexter’s future Conservation Genetics program includes the short-term goal of developing genetic baselines for all species cultured and maintained at Dexter.Genetic information will be used to develop strategies for ensuring that genetic diversity is maintained in captive stocks, and to avoid such pitfalls as domestication selection, or genetic drift.