Browsing by Author "Arocha, Freddy"
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- Mitonuclear genetics reveals a novel perspective on the stock structure and fishery management of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) in the Atlantic OceanPublication . Queiroz-Brito, Maria Clara G.; Mendonça, Fernando F.; Robalo, Joana; Arocha, Freddy; Diaha, N’Guessan Constance; Amandé, Monin Justin; Sow, Fambaye Ngom; Angueko, Davy; Travassos, Paulo; Torres, Rodrigo A.The skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis is the worldwide most fished and economically significant tuna species. In the Atlantic Ocean, the management strategy of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) includes two stocks: (a) eastern (SKJ-E) and (b) western (SKJ-W) stocks. However, the genetic cohesiveness between these stocks remains poorly understood. Here, we provide this information through mitochondrial [control region (CR)] and nuclear (intron S7) data. In both markers, high genetic diversity and no contraction signals in effective population sizes were found, supporting the species conservation status as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN and the results of the latest ICCAT assessment of the two stocks. In general, no well-defined genetic-geographic structure was detected, which may be explained by the specie life history strategies, such as large population effective sizes and migratory behavior, with a broad geographical distribution, that reduce the isolation, inbreeding, and genetic drift effects. However, pairwise FST values within and between the Eastern and Western Atlantic suggest some weak to moderate genetic differentiation. These results involved mainly the Eastern Temperate Zone, represented herein by the Azores archipelago. It is important to highlight that higher differentiation levels were found between sites from different stocks. In addition, the CR data revealed a weak but significant genetic differentiation between the eastern and western stocks (FST = 0.0006). These results can be used to improve and support the ICCAT management strategies of skipjack tuna stocks, highlighting the need for a reevaluation and possible alignment between Eastern and Western Atlantic management actions. Similar content being viewed by others