Genetic structure of the Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus L.) at Icelandic fishing grounds: another evidence of panmixia in Iceland?

Pampoulie, C., Skirnisdóttir, S., Daníelsdóttir, A. K., and Gunnarsson, Á. 2012. Genetic structure of the Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus L.) at Icelandic fishing grounds: another evidence of panmixia in Iceland? – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: 508–515. The stock structure of the Atlantic wolffish was investigated at Icelandic fishing grounds, using 16 microsatellite loci. Despite the potential of the Atlantic wolffish to exhibit genetic structure (lack of eggs/larval dispersal and adults are sedentary), none of the genetic tests applied in this study detected significant genetic differentiation among the contemporary samples as well as among the contemporary and archived samples. The results of this study therefore suggested a lack of genetic structure among the populations of Atlantic wolffish in Icelandic waters and temporal stability over a period of ∼10 years. These results are discussed in terms of biological characteristics of Atlantic wolffish, recent isolation of populations, and their application to sustainable fisheries management issues.