Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Wild and Broodstock Populations of California Yellowtail Inferred with Microsatellite Loci

On the west coast of the United States, the California yellowtail, Seriola lalandi, is considered a great candidate for mariculture due to its high market demand and value. While most yellowtail production relies on capture of wild juveniles and fattening in offshore pens, successful spawning and rearing techniques for S. lalandi have been developed at the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) with the intent to translocate reared individuals to offshore pens to raise to market size. The impact of unintentional releases on wild populations has become an increasingly important issue. As such, most future aquaculture projects will likely require a genetic analysis component for the permitting process. This study aims to examine the genetic diversity of yellowtail in the California-Mexico region, and to examine the genetic variability of broodstock and hatchery populations at HSWRI (San Diego, CA) using nuclear microsatellites. Parentage will be determined for broodstock populations, and the current broodstock will also be compared to local wild populations to ensure that genetic diversity is similar between groups. By laying the foundation for a genetic diversity monitoring program, substantial progress can be made towards establishing S. lalandi as a commercially viable aquaculture species on the west coast.