Novel DNA markers for rapid, accurate, and cost-effective discrimination of the continental origin of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Salmon from geographically representative rivers in North America and Europe were typed for variation at the microsatellite locus SS1 and the mitochondrial DNA ND-1 restriction site 3971, using PCR amplification and agarose-gel electrophoresis. North American salmon showed near-fixation for SS1 alleles between 129 and 135 bp in length and the N mtDNA restriction type, while European salmon near-fixation for SS1 alleles between 183 and 219 bp and the A/D mtDNA type. Based on the observed variant frequencies, using these two markers in combination is predicted to give correct assignment of >99.5% of salmon to continent-of-origin. As both these continental markers can be screened by agarose-gel electrophoresis, their use offers a more rapid, cheaper, and simpler method for accurate assignment of Atlantic salmon to continent-of-origin than do existing methods. These markers can be applied to the identification of salmon in North Atlantic high-seas fisheries, in aquaculture stocks, and in rivers to determine the continent-of-origin of fish-farm escapes.