Stock Identification: Materials and Methods

Various population parameters and physiological, behavioral, morphometric, meristic, calcareous, biochemical, and cytogenetic characters have been used to identify fish stocks. We define a stock as an intraspecific group of randomly mating individuals with temporal or spatial integrity. Each character set and the associated methodology relates to specific aspects of the stock definition. Population parameters are useful primarily for the recognition of putative stocks at the practical fisheries management level. Physiological and, to some degree, behavioral characters are used primarily to study differences in the adaptation of stocks to different environments. Behavioral characters are also important for the recognition of stocks and the study of their spatial and temporal discreteness. Morphological characters, including morphometric measurements, meristic counts, and the shape, size, and type of zonation in calcareous structures provide data that are useful for the precise description of and differenti...