Progress of the development of the DNA identification for the southern albatross bycatch in longline fishery

Species identification by external anatomy or physical appearance of albatrosses in the southern hemisphere is often difficult because the species group show considerable overlap in both plumage score and morphology (Cuthbert et al. 2003). Therefore we investigated the molecular biological approach for the taxonomy of those species. Firstly, sampling protocol was developed for an observer to collect necessary sample easily. Secondly, species or species group identification by photo was applied. And thirdly, Alderman’s method (Alderman 2003), one of RFLP methods, was employed for two different types of samples such as the samples known the species and the samples known the species group. The method of the DNA taxonomy needs to be relatively inexpensive and simple because it needs to be applied for several countries at different capabilities as a general method. For this reason, the method was employed. As a result, it was suggested that seven species out of 13 species in this study could be identified by Alderman’s RFLP analysis. We also found that there are some improvements such as (1) the impossibility of visual identification by electrophoresis in some of wandering albatross group species, (2) intraspecific polymorphism in the grey-headed albatross, and (3) intraspecific polymorphism in Atlantic yellow-nosed albatrosses. At the present situation, this method is still needed to be developed for practical use.