RU University of Bologna

Scientific Chief:

Fausto Tinti

Historical patterns and short-term variation of the genetic diversity in the Mediterranean bluefin tuna populations

The research of the RU UniBo deals with the assessment of patterns and short-term changes of genetic diversity in ancient and modern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) populations of the Central and Western Mediterranean that are likely caused by the increase of the fishery exploitation rate of the bluefin tuna. This change occurred during the last century and it was determined by the shift from the passive artisan fishery (realised until the middle of the XX century through traps located on the migratory routes of tunas) to the active industrialised fishery that has been implemented since the last decades of the century by the use of purse-seining and long-lining fishery techniques. Such shift of fishery exploitation rate has been determined a progressive decreasing of bluefin tuna catches, both in terms of individual catches and size of fish.

The scientific aim of the research proposed by the RU UniBo will be to verify whether such impressive increase of the fishery exploitation rate selectively changed genetic traits of the Western and Central Mediterranean population of bluefin tunas, through the comparative analysis of genetic diversity in ancient, not overexploited population (i.e. represented by skeletal finds collected before 1950) and modern, severely exploited population from the same area.