Population structure and connectivity in the genus Molva in the Northeast Atlantic

Abstract

In fisheries, operational management units and biological data often do not coincide. In many cases, this is not even known due to the lack of information about a species’ population structure or behaviour. This study focuses on two such species, the common ling Molva molva and the blue ling M. dypterygia, two Northeast Atlantic gadoids with overlapping geographical distribution, but different depth habitats. Heavily exploited throughout their ranges, with declining catches, little is known about their population structure. Genotyping-by-sequencing at thousands of genetic markers indicated that both species are separated into two major groups, one represented by samples from the coasts of western Scotland, Greenland, and the Bay of Biscay and the other off the coast of Norway. This signal is stronger for the deeper dwelling blue ling, even though adult dispersal was also identified for this species. Despite small sample sizes, fine-scale patterns of genetic structure were identified along Norway for common ling. Signatures of adaptation in blue ling consisted in signs of selections in genes involved in vision, growth, and adaptation to cold temperatures.