Genetic evidence for a single stock of giant tiger prawns Penaeus monodon in demarcated prawn fishing zones of Tanzania. (28th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rumisha, Cyrus; Kochzius, Marc
• Is Part Of: Fisheries management and ecology. Volume 30:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 36
• Page End: 43
• Publication Date: 2022-10-28
• Subjects: gene flow -- genetic connectivity -- genetic population structure -- Giant tiger shrimp -- mitochondrial displacement loop (D‐loop); Fishery management -- Periodicals; Fishes -- Ecology -- Periodicals; Fishes -- Conservation -- Periodicals; 639.2
• DOI: 10.1111/fme.12598
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0969-997X

Abstract

Abstract: Tanzania demarcated three prawn fishing zones along its coast to spread fishing pressure and help the prawn fishery to recover. However, it is unknown whether the demarcated zones correspond to the genetic stock structure of the world's most commercially important prawn, the giant tiger prawn ( Penaeus monodon ). Thus, this study used partial mitochondrial control region sequences (534 base pairs) to test the hypotheses that (1) giant tiger prawns in Tanzania's demarcated prawn fishing zones are a single stock and (2) the giant tiger prawns on the Tanzanian coast experienced a recent demographic expansion. The sequences showed high haplotype diversity ( h = 0.998–1.0) and low nucleotide diversity (θπ = 1.89%–2.24%). The neutrality test and mismatch analysis showed that the hypothesis of recent demographic expansion could not be rejected. The analysis of molecular variance revealed low and insignificant fixation indices between the zones ( F ST = 0.00025, p > 0.05; ΦST = −0.00027, p > 0.05), suggesting that the three demarcated fishing zones constitute a single stock and that fishers may be targeting the same stock. Furthermore, it was discovered that Zone 2 has the potential to replenish depleted areas; thus, it should be prioritised in future conservation planning.