Mitochondrial DNA Analysis of Walleye Pollock, Theragra chalcogramma , from the Eastern Bering Sea and Shelikof Strait, Gulf of Alaska

Increased fishing effort in the international waters of the Aleutian Basin has focused much interest on defining the stock structure of walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, in the Bering Sea. Variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was examined via restriction endonuclease digestions in 168 walley...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Main Authors: Mulligan, Timothy J., Chapman, Robert W., Brown, Bonnie L.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1992
Subjects:
Aquatic Science
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Bering Sea
Gulf of Alaska
Theragra chalcogramma
Alaska
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f92-036
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f92-036
Description
Summary:Increased fishing effort in the international waters of the Aleutian Basin has focused much interest on defining the stock structure of walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, in the Bering Sea. Variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was examined via restriction endonuclease digestions in 168 walleye pollock from three areas in the eastern Bering Sea and from Shelikof Strait, Gulf of Alaska. Nine endonucleases produced variant restriction patterns both within and among populations. A total of 50 restriction sites were revealed along the mtDNA molecule. Two dominant genotypes were found in 39 and 21 individuals, respectively. Fifty-one genotypes (78% of the total) were represented by a single specimen. Clustering of genetic distances suggests the existence of several walleye pollock stocks in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Genetic divergence among stocks may be related to the prevailing current patterns found in these areas.

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