Using genetic markers to identify snapper stocks

Amount awarded £5,000

This project will identify different snapper stocks in the Makassar Strait in Indonesia, to help the Indonesian Snapper Group fishery improvement project (FIP) develop a sustainable management plan for the species.

This will help the fishery develop an effective harvest strategy – a vital management tool the fishery will need to become truly sustainable. 

To be able to effectively manage fish stocks, it is first important to know whether the stock is one large group, or if it is split into distinct subpopulations.   

Although snapper are found in all parts of the Makassar Strait, it is thought that the western areas (Eastern Kalimantan) and the eastern areas (Western Sulawesi) have different population structures. This is likely due to the different depths within the Strait and currents from the Pacific Ocean. 

This Student Research Grant will support the collection of over 350 tissue samples from two snapper species in Indonesian FMA 713 as part of a PhD research project. The two species being studied are the malabar blood snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus) and the goldband snapper (Pristipomoides multidens). Genetic analysis of the samples will be used to identify different stocks. 

Confirming the genetic population structure of each species is a vital step in developing effective stock assessments for snapper. The outcomes will help members of the Indonesian Demersal Association (ADI) as well as the Indonesian government to develop effective snapper fishery management plans.