Selection for improved growth rate does not appear to be feasible in flatfish because the environmental component of variation is very large. Selection for other characters has not been studied. The development of inbred lines, and their use in F1 hybrid production, seems warranted in fish farming if only as a means of avoiding inbreeding depression of fitness. Gynogenesis may be a practical means for accelerating the rate of inbreeding in fish. Induced triploidy is a potentially useful technique in fish culture in that it prevents sexual maturation and limits the depression of growth associated with this. Hybridization is a common phenomenon among fish and can lead to a form of hybrid vigor. Its application in fish culture may be limited by marketing problems where fish are sold under a specific name.