An investigation of the population genetic structure of pollack (Pollachius pollachius) based on microsatellite markers

In order to explore the population genetic structure of pollack (Pollachius pollachius) along the European coast, of 282 fish sampled from four locations along the Atlantic French coast and from one location off southern Norway were genotyped at six microsatellite loci. The limited genetic differentiation among samples may be due to high levels of larval dispersal, through passive drift with oceanic currents. Alternatively, populations may have diverged too recently for significant genetic differentiation to have become evident. Furthermore, small sample sizes and the limited number of loci may have hampered the detection of genetic structure. Nevertheless, a weak but significant genetic differentiation was detected between samples originating from the western English Channel and the Bay of Biscay.