Population structure of longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol) within and across Indonesia’s fisheries management areas (FMAs) and neighboring countries based on mitochondrial control region

• Published in: Regional studies in marine science 2024-12, Vol.78, p.103778, Article 103778
• Main Authors: Pertiwi, Ni Putu Dian, Malik, Muhammad Danie Al, Sembiring, Andrianus, Yusmalinda, Ni Luh Astria, Ningsih, Enex Yuniarti, Cahyani, Ni Kadek Dita, Anggoro, Aji Wahyu, Rahim, Khairul Adha A., Meyer, Christopher, Collette, Bruce, Collins, Allen, Astarini, Ida Ayu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Andaman Sea; Control_region; fisheries; Genetic; genetic structure; genetic variation; India; Indonesia; issues and policy; Longtail; Malaysia; marine science; mitochondria; Philippines; phylogeography; Population; population genetics; population growth; population structure; species; Thunnus; Thunnus_tonggol; tuna; Vietnam
• ISSN: 2352-4855; 2352-4855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103778

Longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol), one of the neritic tuna species commonly found in the coastal areas of the Indo-Pacific region, is known to be in an overfishing state in certain areas, including in Indonesia. Understanding the condition of the T. tonggol population within Indonesia is very important in managing its fisheries policy. This research aims to understand the population genetic structure of T. tonggol across Indonesia's Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs), as well as to investigate the phylogeography of T. tonggol within the Indo-Pacific region. A total of 586 samples were collected from 18 locations within Indonesia’s six FMAs, and two locations from Malaysian waters. A 520 bp portion of mtDNA control region was amplified and sequenced. Data analysis was conducted using 586 total sequences generated from this study, and 336 sequences retrieved from GenBank, as well as provided by the author of previous study. Population structure analysis indicated a panmictic population of T. tonggol within six Indonesian FMAs and within the neighboring countries (Malaysia, Andaman Sea, Vietnam, Philippines, and India), with an indication of population expansion. These data do, however, reveal two potentially distinctive clades, one showing an affinity among samples from certain parts of Indonesia (East Aceh, West Aceh, Medan - FMA571 & FMA572) and India. Based on this finding, the T. tonggol fisheries should be managed as a single management unit both within Indonesia’s FMA and within neighboring countries, while also emphasizing localized genetic diversity to protect the sustainability of the species and its fishery.