Population structure of Merluccius merluccius along the Iberian Peninsula coast

Prespawning hake caught in eight locations around the Iberian Peninsula were genetically analysed. The distribution of variation at five microsatellite loci suggests that the species follows a population model of isolation by distance in this geographical area. Three different areas can be identified: the Mediterranean Sea, the Portuguese coast, and the Cantabric Sea. The lack of differentiation between samples caught in the VIIIa,b,d and in the VIIIc ICES Areas suggests that, based on genetic information, the boundary between northern and southern stocks of European hake should be reconsidered. (c) 2005 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All fights reserved.