Rockfish

One of the ongoing projects in our lab is on the conservation genetics of rockfish, in the genus Sebastes. We address a variety of questions with this group including questions of local adaptation and conservation of the commercially important group of fishes. We have continued concern for the future viability of the rockfish fishery due to previous management issues and the effects of global climate change. The main focal group of Dr. Burford Reiskind is the genetic structure and cryptic speciation of blue rockfish. Currently, we are using a population genomic approach to investigate any geographic structure in the two species of rockfish (Sebastes mystinus Type 1 and Type 2, see publications). In addition, we are have taken a genomic approach to investigate evidence of local adaptation (directoinal selection) in the genome between these two species in sympatry and allopatry and the degree of hybridization between these two distinct species. And, we are initiating work on an age-structured genetic study on the kelp rockfish (Sebastes atrovirens) in central California using the same genomic approach. Several graduate students and undergraduate students work on these projects currently, but we are always looking for more!