Genetic variability and population structure of striped bass along the US eastern seaboard

Striped bass, Morone saxatilis, is a commercially and recreationally important finfish species along the US Atlantic coast.  A variety of genetic studies using various genotyping techniques have been employed to examine genetic population structure in this species. However results have often been equivocal and geographic and temporal coverage has often been limited.  Recent advancement in microsatellite marker development for striped bass has been rapid, and over 400 loci are currently available for this species.  In this study, we undertake a comprehensive examination of striped bass population structure along the Eastern seaboard, ranging from Hudson River, NY, to South Carolina.  We include 14 microsatellite markers for genotyping young-of-year striped bass from these sites (n=50/site/yr), and include multiple geographically separated locations within Hudson River (n=2) and Chesapeake Bay (n=5).  Notably, we include two years of data to examine temporal variability in any detected genetic population structure. We anticipate that this information will increase understanding of striped bass biology and improve management of the species by delineating management units potentially in need of individual attention.