The Barcoding of Organisms and tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo) project aims at developing a virtual laboratory, expertise forum and databank network facilitating the identification of biological samples of policy concern. Such identifications can rely on “traditional” morphology-based approaches requiring taxonomic expertise and/or DNA-based techniques demanding lab skills and access to a molecular laboratory.

The intent of BopCo therefore is (1) to act as a national focal point for identifying biological materials upon request, using both morphological and molecular techniques, (2) to produce well-documented DNA barcodes of relevant taxa, (3) to maintain reference collections of barcoded organisms and the corresponding DNA barcode databases, and (4) to explore and implement new tools and techniques for species identification and DNA barcoding.