Workpackages

See also the section sampling for more information!

This is the first goal of the project, aimed to collect a statistically significant number of horse mackerel specimens, to be studied with different methods, from the whole range of the species. To achieve this objective, 20 sampling sites have been selected (see attached map) from which at least 100 specimens will be fished during the first and second year of the project (i.e., a total number of 200 individuals per sampling site). The sites were selected after combining the following criteria: the boundaries of current stock units, the geographical distance, the distribution patterns, the oceanographic characteristics of the areas and the lack of information.

Partners involved in sampling task are 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 08 and 10. Partner 01 (Sub-coordinator of WP01, sampling) will assure the correct timing and adecquacy of samples collection. All the techniques will be applied on the same fish in order to get a set of information that we can integer and relate with trustfulness. The 100 horse mackerel collected for each sampling session will be immediately frozen after the capture. Tissues needed for all the genetic analysis will be collected by the Partners involved in sampling (see above) and will store the tissues as arranged with each one of the Partners involved in genetic analysis (Partners: 02, 04, 05, 06, 08) and will deliber the tissue samples to their labs. The sub-coordinator of the WP02, genetic analysis, will watch for the correct flow and conservation of tissue material between laboratories. Entire frozen specimens (although without small section of tissue) will be sent to Partner 02, (Sub-coordinator of the WP04, morphomety) for its studies. After the morphometric studies on body shape, and always mantaining the frozen state, the entire specimens will be sent to Partner 07 (sub-coordinator of the WP03, parasitology). He will carry on the parasitological analysis according to its own tasks (and also with the collaboration of Partner 02) and will collect the Anisakis nematodes larvae to be delivered, in frozen state, to Partner 04 for their identification at the species level by means of genetic markers analysis. The otoliths will be removed during this last step and some biological information like sex, maturity state, stomach repletion, ungutted weight, etc, will be collected. Otoliths will be sent to Partner 10 for otolith shape analysis. After this step, Partner 10 will sent the otoliths to Partner 01 (Co-ordinator and sub-coordinator of the WP06, life history traits) for age reading. All the basic biological data recorded from all the specimens from all the selected sites will be sent to Partners 01 (Sub-coordinator of WP01, sampling and WP06, life history traits) and 09, for biological analysis. These data will be also provided to the other participants if needed (for example to investigate sex-linked loci, etc.). Additional samples could be required by Partners 01 and 09 to complete the biological data (e.g. for age/length keys or maturity ogives).
To enrich the library for nucleotids all the specimens collected (200 per sampling site) will be analysed for msDNA analysis whereas the rest of the techniques (multilocus allozyme electrophoresis, mtDNA, SSCP, morphometry and parasites) do not require the same sampling intensity, being at least 100 specimens (from those 200) per sampling site enough to obtain significative results.

The sampling task has been planned accurately in order to achieve a fundamental milestone of the project: the attainment of material of appropriate quality to carry on all the analyses prearranged in the program, to set up quickly the techniques to be used and to obtain reliable final results.

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