Connectivity between Saguenay Fjord populations and those of the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Microsatellite and allozyme analyses on various species of bottom fishes (cod, Greenland halibut and redfish) and crustaceans (snow crab, northern shrimp) show that individuals from the Saguenay Fjord and from the St. Lawrence belong to the same populations. The only genetic difference observed is at the Pan I locus of cod. This differentiation may be caused by selection that would act in the Saguenay Fjord, rather than due to the genetic isolation of the population. Complementary data available for bottom fish (elemental composition of otoliths, body morphometry, and parasite fauna) show clear differences between the Saguenay and the St. Lawrence. These differences suggest residence of individuals in the Saguenay and the St. Lawrence for a large proportion of their life cycle. Considering the low larval survival observed in the fjord, this review suggests that the bottom fish populations from the Saguenay represent sink populations whose recruitment depends largely or solely on migration of juveniles from the St. Lawrence. Although there are no complementary data for crustacean species, it is possible that migration and residence are processes operating for those species as well.