Population structure of long tailed hake Macruronus magellanicus in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans: Implications for fisheries management

Pre-spawning adult samples of long tailed hake, Macruronus magellanicus, were obtained from fisheries vessels in one location in the southeast Pacific Ocean and three in the southwest Atlantic Ocean, at different latitudes. Population structure was determined based on six nuclear hypervariable microsatellite loci and on mitochondrial DNA sequence variation at the locus COI. Paired tests of genic differentiation for microsatellite loci indicate the existence of genetic population structure for this species, where significant differences exist between some southern and northern samples. Multivariate analysis (factorial correspondence analysis) of microsatellite variation showed differentiation between the Pacific and the Atlantic populations. Analysis of the mitochondrial variation confirmed the microsatellite analysis of population structure, and revealed some additional differentiation between northern and southern Atlantic samples and exclusive haplotypes in each region. These findings suggest that the species should be managed as north–south separate stocks in the Atlantic Ocean.

► Macruronus magellanicus (grenadier) is a priority fish resource in South America.
► Managed separately in the Pacific (Chile) and Atlantic (Argentina) oceans.
► DNA reveals population differences between north and south, and also between oceans.
► Management strategies should be revised for sustainable fisheries of this species.