Building a Teleost Fish Traceability Program Based on Genetic Data from Pacific Panama Fish Markets.

Fish tissue samples from 203 adult individuals were collected in the main ports and markets of the Pacific coast of Panama. Molecular identification based on a cytochrome oxidase I gene segment of all species was verified by GENBANK reference sequences. A total of 34 species from 14 families (Ariidae, Caranjidae, Centropomidae, Gerreidae, Haemulidae, Lobotidae, Lutjanidae, Malacanthidae, Mugilidae, Scianidae, Scombridae, Serranidae, Sphyraenidae, Stromateidae) were identified at the species level from 164 sequences.

Assessment of the dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus (Perciformes: Coryphaenidae) fishery in Pacific Panama.

The dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippunis) is a highly migratory pelagic species commercially exploited by industrial, artisanal and recreational fisheries in tropical and subtropical areas of the world's oceans. Herein, we evaluated the dolphinfish industrial fishery in Pacific Panama for the first time generating a growth model and examining fluctuations in annual total catch and in catch per unit effort (CPUE) over a four-year period (2006-2009). Annual and monthly catch values and biological parameters of 14913 individuals were obtained onboard industrial vessels, landing sites and records from processing plants.