An optimal control problem for the forced Fisher equation is considered. The control is an artificially introduced genotype and the objective is to match, as well as possible, a specified gene frequency. The existence of a solution of the optimal control problem is proved and an optimality system is derived through the Lagrange multiplier technique. Numerical approximations of the optimality system are defined using finite element methods to effect spatial discretization and a backward Euler method for the time discretiza- tion. Convergence of semi-discrete in time approximations of the state system is proved and a gradient method for solving the nonlinear discrete systems is developed. The results of some preliminary computational experiments are provided.