Future scientific research should consider these findings to address potential population-level impacts in the species. This could have implications for the genetic diversity and conservation of the western population. "These findings show that what were thought to be two reproductively-isolated populations (tuna that spawn in the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Mexico, respectively) are not only demographically connected, but they also mix in the northeastern United States spawning ground, although they tend to return to the area where they were born," explained lead author Natalia Díaz-Arce, an AZTI researcher. The Gulf of Mexico and Slope Sea fish are more similar to each other than they are to Mediterranean Sea fish. These findings add to growing evidence that Atlantic bluefin tuna populations in the different spawning grounds are more interconnected than previously understood.ĭespite the connectivity, the researchers also found significant genetic differences among the fish from the three spawning grounds. Researchers found genetic evidence that Atlantic bluefin tuna in both the Slope Sea and Gulf of Mexico were related to the Mediterranean population. Previously, scientists thought there were eastern and western populations, spawning respectively in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. This is the first genetic study to include the recently identified third spawning ground for this species, the Slope Sea off of the northeast United States Continental Shelf. Credit: Chrissy Hernandez, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution/Oxford University It found connections among individuals from the three known bluefin tuna spawning grounds:Ītlantic bluefin tuna larva. The study used advanced genetic analyses to further scientists’ understanding of the Atlantic bluefin tuna genome. “We see this as a critical step toward developing a pan-Atlantic approach to provide management advice that harnesses the increasing power of advanced genomics.” Finding Genetic Connections “This study demonstrates how essential international collaboration is for bluefin tuna,” explained John Walter, deputy director for science and council services at NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center. They migrate long distances and cross international boundaries. International collaboration is particularly vital to studying and conserving highly migratory species, including bluefin tuna. The study was led by Spain-based AZTI Technology Centre, which also described the results in a press release. The findings show Atlantic bluefin tuna populations are more interconnected than previously understood. A team of researchers from eight countries, including three NOAA Fisheries scientists, recently published findings in the journal Molecular Ecology.
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