Hatchery-produced sandfish (Holothuria scabra) show altered genetic diversity in New Caledonia

Facing an alarming continuing decline of wild sea cucumber resources, management strategies were developed over the past three decades to sustainably promote development, maintenance, or regeneration fisheries. In New Caledonia (South Pacific), dedicated efforts via restocking and ranching programs implemented cope with overharvesting sandfish Holothuria scabra recent loss known populations. order investigate genetic implications a major H. program, we assessed diversity structure stocks hatchery-produced compared outcomes consecutive spawning juvenile production events. For this, 1,358 collected at four sites along northwestern coasts Caledonia, as well during five different events in Tiabet Bay, genotyped using nine polymorphic microsatellite markers. We found that populations from coast likely belonged one panmictic population high level gene flow observed study scale. Further, this displayed effective size breeders large enough ensure feasibility appropriate breeding for restocking. contrast, samples did suffer important reduction size: sizes so small drift was detectable generation, presence inbred individuals, more related dyads than All these results suggest hatcheries are further needed maintain individuals unbalance any negative impact artificial selection.