Suchergebnisse

The Atlantic goliath grouper, Epinephelus itajara, is a critically endangered species, threatened by illegal fishing and the destruction of its habitats. A number of other closely related grouper species found in the western Atlantic are also fished intensively. While some countries apply rigorous legislation, illegal harvesting followed by the falsification of fish products, which impedes the correct identification of the species, is a common practice, allowing the catch to be marketed as a different grouper species. In this case, molecular techniques represent an important tool for the monitoring and regulation of fishery practices, and are essential for the forensic identification of a number of different species. In the present study, species-specific primers were developed for the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I gene, which were applied in a multiplex PCR for the simultaneous identification of nine different species of Epinephelidae: Epinephelus itajara, E. quinquefasciatus, E. morio, Hyporthodus flavolimbatus, H. niveatus, Mycteroperca acutirostris, M. bonaci, M. marginata, and M. microlepis. Multiplex PCR is a rapid, reliable and cost-effective procedure for the identification of commercially-valuable endangered fish species, and may represent a valuable tool for the regulation and sustainable management of fishery resources. ; Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) ; Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) ; Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Espirito Santo (FAPES) ; Projeto Meros do Brasil - Petrobras S.A. ; Transpetro Transportes S.A. ; Programa de Pós-graduação em Oceanografia Ambiental, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Base Oceanográfica, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Rodovia ES 10 km 16, 565, Coqueiral, 29199-970 Aracruz, ES, Brazil ; Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, Laboratório de Genética da Conservação, PUCMINAS - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Av. Dom José Gaspar 500, Coração Eucarístico, 30535-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil ; Laboratório de Biologia e Genética de Peixes, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Distrito de Rubião Junior, s/n, 18618-000 Botucatu, SP, Brazil ; Laboratorio Costero de Tumbes, Instituto del Mar del Perú (IMARPE), Calle José Olaya S/N, Nueva Esperanza, Zorritos, TU, Perú ; Departamento de Ciências do Mar, Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Av. Alm. Saldanha da Gama, 89, Ponta da Praia, 11030-400 Santos, SP, Brazil ; Costa Lima Aquicultura e Pesca, Praça Prefeito José Luiz da Costa, 27, Centro, 29960-000 Conceição da Barra, ES, Brazil ; Departamento de Ciências do Mar, Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Av. Alm. Saldanha da Gama, 89, Ponta da Praia, 11030-400 Santos, SP, Brazil ; The Sistema de Autorizacao e Informacao em Biodiversidade (SISBIO) linked to the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade (ICMBIO) of the Ministerio do Meio Ambiente (MMA) for licenses (SISBIO/ICMBIO/MMA No: 25088-7, authentication code 119228433 and No: 15080-2, authentication code: 84636263. ; Web of Science

The Atlantic goliath grouper, Epinephelus itajara, is a critically endangered species, threatened by illegal fishing and the destruction of its habitats. A number of other closely related grouper species found in the western Atlantic are also fished intensively. While some countries apply rigorous legislation, illegal harvesting followed by the falsification of fish products, which impedes the correct identification of the species, is a common practice, allowing the catch to be marketed as a different grouper species. In this case, molecular techniques represent an important tool for the monitoring and regulation of fishery practices, and are essential for the forensic identification of a number of different species. In the present study, species-specific primers were developed for the Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I gene, which were applied in a multiplex PCR for the simultaneous identification of nine different species of Epinephelidae: Epinephelus itajara, E. quinquefasciatus, E. morio, Hyporthodus flavolimbatus, H. niveatus, Mycteroperca acutirostris, M. bonaci, M. marginata, and M. microlepis. Multiplex PCR is a rapid, reliable and cost-effective procedure for the identification of commercially-valuable endangered fish species, and may represent a valuable tool for the regulation and sustainable management of fishery resources.