Genetic population structure in Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and its relevance to fishery management

Exploited marine resources can be managed more effectively when accurate information on geographic population structure is available. Genetic markers offer a powerful tool for fisheries management, because they reveal biologically sound management units. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) markers derived from restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) were developed and used to investigate the stock structure of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). A total of 96 SNPs were analyzed from 384 individuals and eight locations across the Atlantic. Our results suggest a subdivision of Greenland halibut into two populations, an eastern Atlantic population and a western Atlantic population, with a proposed border across the Denmark Strait. In general, Greenland halibut display weak but significant population structure (overall [F.sub.ST] = 0.003; p < 0.001), which can be explained by connectivity among populations owing to the migratory behavior or egg and larval drift. Les ressources marines exploitees peuvent etre gerees plus efficacement quand de l'information exacte sur la structure geographique de leurs populations est disponible. Les marqueurs genetiques constituent un puissant outil pour la gestion des peches parce qu'ils font ressortir des unites de gestion coherentes sur le plan biologique. Des marqueurs de polymorphismes mononucleotidiques (SNPs) derives du sequenqage d'ADN associe a un site de restriction (RAD-seq) ont ete developpes et utilises pour etudier la structure des stocks de fletan noir (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). Un total de 96 SNP ont ete analyses de 384 individus et huit emplacements dans l'Atlantique. Nos resultats semblent indiquer le regroupement des fletans noirs en deux populations, une de l'est de l'Atlantique et l'autre de l'ouest de l'Atlantique, la frontiere proposee entre les deux traversant le detroit du Danemark. En general, les fletans noirs presentent une structure de populations faible mais significative ([F.sub.ST] global = 0,003; p < 0,001) qui peut s'expliquer par la connectivite des populations decoulant du comportement migratoire ou de la derive des reufs et des larves. [Traduit par la Redaction]
Introduction Marine fish populations typically consist of large numbers of individuals with high dispersal potential in one or several life-history stages (Conover et al. 2006), which can result in a [...]