This study assesses the stock structure of Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) using the mitochondrial
control region as a genetic marker. About 615 individuals distributed in seven locations were
analyzed. Two of the locations were in the Mediterranean Sea (MD/BIL95) (Spain and Tunis),
three in the northeast Atlantic (AT-NE/BIL94B) (Portugal, Tunis, Morocco and Mauritania), and
one in the southeast Atlantic (AT-SE/BIL97) (Côte d’Ivoire). All these samples were obtained
thanks to the participation of all authors in two Small Tuna Research Programs funded by
ICCAT. The analysis of the genetic variability of the sequence of mitochondrial control regions
depicts a clear heterogeneity among locations. The shared genetic pool that comprises the
locations within the Mediterranean (Spain and Tunis), including also a sample from the northeast
Atlantic (Portugal), is clearly different from the African locations (Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire).
Moreover, these two African locations are also genetically differentiated between them. Morocco
and Mauritania locations seems to be located in an intermediate situation between these two
groups of locations. These results can be used to infer a management policy by ICCAT on the
fisheries of this specie
