Rapid identification of European (Anguilla anguilla) and North American eel (Anguilla rostrata) by polymerase chain reaction.

A rapid and cost effective DNA test is described to identify European eel (Anguilla anguilla) and North American eel (Anguilla rostrata). By means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique parts of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene are amplified with species specific primers which are designed to produce PCR fragments of different characteristic sizes for European and American eel. The size differences can easily be made visible by agarose gel electrophoresi

Die Anwendung molekulargenetischer Verfahren in der fischereiwissenschaftlichen Forschung - Trennung von Fischpopulationen

The discrimination of stocks and separate reproductive units within fish species to facilitate fisheries management based on biological data has always been a challenge to fisheries biologists. We describe the use of three different molecular genetic techniques to detect genetic differences between stocks and closely related species. Direct sequencing of the mitochondrial ND3 gene describes the relationship between different aquaculture strains and natural populations of rainbow trout and revealed genetic homogeneity within the hatchery strains. Microsatellite analyses were used to explore the differences between redfish species from the genus Sebastes and to verify populations structure within S. mentella and S. marinus. This lead to an un equivocal discrimination of the species and an indication of populations structure within those species in the North Atlantic. The Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisum (AFLP) methodology revealed genetic differences between Baltic and North Sea dap (Limanda limanda)and a possible population structure within the North Sea

Temporal and spatial analysis of the 2014-2015 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa

West Africa is currently witnessing the most extensive Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak so far recorded. Until now, there have been 27,013 reported cases and 11,134 deaths. The origin of the virus is thought to have been a zoonotic transmission from a bat to a two-year-old boy in December 2013 (ref. 2). From this index case the virus was spread by human-to-human contact throughout Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. However, the origin of the particular virus in each country and time of transmission is not known and currently relies on epidemiological analysis, which may be unreliable owing to the difficulties of obtaining patient information. Here we trace the genetic evolution of EBOV in the current outbreak that has resulted in multiple lineages. Deep sequencing of 179 patient samples processed by the European Mobile Laboratory, the first diagnostics unit to be deployed to the epicentre of the outbreak in Guinea, reveals an epidemiological and evolutionary history of the epidemic from March 2014 to January 2015. Analysis of EBOV genome evolution has also benefited from a similar sequencing effort of patient samples from Sierra Leone. Our results confirm that the EBOV from Guinea moved into Sierra Leone, most likely in April or early May. The viruses of the Guinea/Sierra Leone lineage mixed around June/July 2014. Viral sequences covering August, September and October 2014 indicate that this lineage evolved independently within Guinea. These data can be used in conjunction with epidemiological information to test retrospectively the effectiveness of control measures, and provides an unprecedented window into the evolution of an ongoing viral haemorrhagic fever outbreak.status: publishe

Exploring opportunities for the integration of genetic data into fisheries management resulting from the European Union Data Collection Framework Regulation (DCR 199/2008)

In its user guide on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) the underlines that fisheries management in the EU relies on scientific advice, and is therefore dependent on accurate, relevant and up-to-date data. Since 2001, the CFP has set aside funding to help national authorities collect both economic and biological data related to fisheries management. Originally Council Regulation (EC) No 1543/2000 established a Community framework for the collection and management of the data needed to conduct the common fisheries policy (“The Data Collection Regulation” - DCR), for which Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1639/2001 determined Community programs for the collection of data in the fisheries sector and laid down detailed rules for the application.Despite examples clearly demonstrating the value of genetics for marine fishery management, routine use of genetic information in this field remains exceptional. A variety of reasons are responsible for the conspicuous absence of genetics. Some are historical, others arise due to a lack of communication between fish geneticists, fisheries managers and regulators. Also, integral to the problem, the current management infrastructure is not conducive to the uptake of genetics: Fish(eries) genetics remain confined largely to the academic realm, and research projects where there is a lack of long-term perspective and funding. As a result there is no central data-hub available for this type of information and it is not routinely collected and updated. This ICES Working Group Annual Report explores opportunities for the integration of genetic data into fisheries management resulting from the European Union Data Collection Framework Regulation and formulates a number of recommendations adressed at the ICES Scientific Commitee and other stakeholders to reach this goal.JRC.G.4-Maritime affair

Review the Current Status of Traceability Methods in the Fisheries Sector Based on Genetics

The fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing plays a crucial role in the attempt to move towards sustainable fisheries. IUU fishing is a global problem that continues to be out of control. Its value has been assessed to amount worldwide to be between ¿10 to 20 billion (Agnew et al., 2009), which is more than twice the value of annual landings by the EU fleet (¿6.8 billion in 20043). These estimates are probably rather conservative, but certainly IUU fishing represents the major source of fishing mortality (Figure 3.1.1.1). Such estimates are, however, probably very conservative, but nevertheless represent the major source of fishing mortality. Escaping control, IUU fishing threatens marine ecosystems, impedes management schemes for sustainable fisheries, and has a negative effect on socio-economic development. Moreover, globalisation has had major affects on the food supply chain. It has removed production from direct consumer control, increased competition, lengthened the food supply chain, and made it less transparent. There has been an associated increase in awareness in traceability issues to deal with food safety, quality assurance and animal welfare. Illegal activities extend into the supply chain, as has become evident by fraud cases in the US and Europe where fish has been sold under false labels (for examples see Annex 1). Such practice leads to consumer misinformation and hampers efforts to ensure consumer protection. Consumer protection is currently mainly assured by documentation and labelling of products and such a system is prone to fraudulent activities. Increasing dependence on product imports and complex marketing patterns further impede efforts to regulate and control the fisheries sector. Increasingly, certification procedures that endorse sustainable fisheries, such as awarded by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or consumer oriented websites describing fishery status, such as the NOAA Fishwatch program (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/), are employed to provide information on fishery products. However, such certification is also susceptible to fraud. Therefore, to fight illegal fishing activities and ensure sustainability, fairness and transparency in the fisheries sector, as well as for the information and protection of consumers, a traceability system is required. Traceability is defined by the CODEX Alimentarius Commision (CAC 2006) and according to ISO 22005:2007 as the ¿ability to follow the movement of a food through specified stages(s) of production, processing, and distribution and for the EU laid down in Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002. Any such system in the fisheries sector should be effective throughout the food supply chain (¿from ocean to fork¿), and be supported by independent control measures to verify the species and origins of fish and shellfish caught. Consequently there is an urgent need to identify traceability markers that can be used throughout the food supply chain, from on-board samples, to processed product, and which exhibit minimal variance. Furthermore, it is likely that traceability tools will in many cases need to be applied within a sufficiently robust forensic framework (Ogden 2008) to promote legal enforcement.JRC.G.4-Maritime affair

Term of Reference b): Review and consider methods for integrating genomic methods with marine fisheries management

While management of commercially exploited marine living resources aims at maxim-izing yield, profit and employment opportunities, these goals have to be reconciled with long-term sustainability as well as the maintenance of coastal and marine ecosys-tem health. Such thinking underpins many fisheries management and policy frame-works worldwide. The recently reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP; REGULATION (EU) No 1380/2013) stipulates that until 2015 the exploitation of marine living resources should be adapted such that populations of harvested stocks are main-tained above levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). The legis-lation also puts much emphasis on the need to introduce the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) and introduces a discard ban, the so called “landing obligation”. Identical and similar provisions are embedded in fisheries legislation of other countries. As discussed previously (Martinsohn et al., 2011; ICES, 2013a; Ovenden et al., 2013a) fisheries genetics has clearly come of age. State-of-the-art genetic and genomic approaches are suited to address a plethora of fishery management relevant questions from basic species identification (e.g. for Ichthyoplankton analysis carried out for stock assessment) and stock (population) structure analysis, to more complex themes such as mixed-stock analysis (e.g. Bekkevold et al., 2011) and ecosystem monitoring (ICES, 2013a). The current ToR provides a general synthesis of data that can be delivered by genetics and genomics in the context of current fisheries management schemes. Ev-idence is presented from salient examples incorporating such approaches that genetic data can be integrated readily with other relevant data in diverse fisheries management scenarios. Consequently, genetics and evolutionary thinking can add valuable infor-mation to the successful implementation of strategies to promote profitable and sus-tainable fisheries within an ecosystem context.JRC.G.3-Maritime affair