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Population structure of Georgia Basin Pacific Hake (Merluccius productuc)
Population structure of Georgia Basin Pacific Hake (Merluccius productuc)
Problem Statement
During National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Review Team (BRT) deliberations,
it became apparent that additional information was needed to make accurate determinations
concerning the Endangered Species Act (ESA) status of distinct population segments
for Puget Sound Pacific hake, Merluccius productus (also known as Pacific whiting),
in the inside waters of the Pacific Northwest.
Critical Factors
- A number of geographically discrete and temporally persistent spawning aggregations
of Pacific hake occur in the region, including populations in Puget Sound
and the Strait of Georgia.
- No reliable genetic information is currently available
that could be used to differentiate between these aggregations of Pacific hake.
- A majority of the BRT felt that significant population structuring may exist within
this region and that up-to-date studies of the genetic analyses of spawning aggregations
would be necessary to adequately define this structure.
- Information about
population structure is also considered crucial to the BRT's decision concerning
extinction risk for Pacific hake because its abundance in the Strait of Georgia
has not declined markedly over the past 15 years.
Status of Research
Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) scientists are pursuing research
aimed at estimating the degree of genetic divergence among spawning populations of
Pacific hake in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia. This research involves:
- Collecting samples of Pacific hake from spawning aggregates in several
locations in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia, as well as samples from
coastal populations.
- Developing and using variable genetic markers to determine the degree of
differentiation between these spawning aggregates.
- Reporting the results to the Pacific hake Biological Review Team.
Future considerations
Several species of marine fish in Puget Sound have been petitioned for listing
under the ESA, and additional genetic work to better elucidate the population
structure of these species may be necessary if Biological Review Teams are
to accurately assess the status of these species.
Key Players
Conservation Biology (CB) Division, NWFSC
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Contact: Dr. Michael Ford, Director, CB Division (206/860-5612) 
NWFSC Issue Paper CB 6108 (HQ ID 519)
Issue Papers Home
last modified 2002-07-29
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