| In the past, world fisheries appeared to have unlimited growth and potential. Although consumer demand continues to increase, landings from traditional capture fisheries have fallen dramatically. This has led to the growth of world aquaculture production as well as the development of marine conservation science. It has also fostered the use of molecular techniques in the aquatic sciences. Several types of molecular markers have been employed to assess stock structure, genetic variability, and kinship in fisheries and aquaculture. Currently microsatellite markers appear to be one of the most appropriate tools for research in these areas. The overall objective of this dissertation is to investigate whether microsatellite DNA fingerprinting can be employed for improved management of captured haddock broodstock and for discrimination of populations of tautog.; Microsatellite markers were used to assess parentage in a captive population of Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) population. Two dinucleotide microsatellite markers (one specific to cod and another specific to haddock) were used in this study after an array of both cod specific and haddock specific markers were found to be non-variable in this particular population. Assignment of parentage was uncertain for many larvae samples, possibly due to null alleles, as suggested by heterozygote deficiency at both loci. The microsatellite data did lend themselves towards development of a spawning profile.; Tautog-specific microsatellite markers were isolated and developed to determine the stock structure of tautog (Tautog onitis) along the Atlantic coast. Four tetranucleotide microsatellite markers were used to determine genetic variability and stock structure of tautog samples from Massachusetts to Virginia. Polymorphism was low in all four markers and only one marker out of the four followed Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium at all the sampling locations. Analysis of population differentiation with this marker indicated a significant difference between northern individuals (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey) and those from Virginia. There was no significant difference among individuals in the North. |
