Genetic diversity of Atlantic Bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea: insights from genome-wide SNPs and microsatellites.

backgroundElucidating the patterns of the Atlantic Bluefin tuna [ABFT,

resultsAnalyzing genome-wide SNPs and microsatellites from ABFT samples collected throughout the Mediterranean Sea did not provide strong evidence of genetic structure, pointing towards the existence of a single panmictic unit. An alternative view would recognize a failure to reject the null hypothesis of a panmictic unit as an effect of the study's sampling design, the type of markers used, and the effectiveness/suitability of analysis methods in respect to the species biological characteristics or any combination of the above.

conclusionsUnravelling the drivers of ABFT population diversity would require the consideration of important aspects of the species spawning behavior for the determination of the appropriate sampling design. Novel approaches and methods of analysis that will bring together experts in genetics/-omics, ecology and oceanography are deemed necessary. Analyzing ABFT genetic data under the discipline of seascape genetics could provide the analysis framework under which major abiotic and biotic forces controlling ABFT recruitment could be identified, elucidating the complicated population dynamics of the species, while multiple and continuous fisheries monitoring should in all cases be considered as a prerequisite in order to achieve efficient and long-term ABFT conservation.