Identificazione e validazione di marcatori molecolari, fisiologici ed ambientali per la gestione delle risorse alieutiche lagunari

Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum represents one of the main economic resources for Northern Adriatic aquaculture. Many management issues are still unsolved, especially in the Venice Lagoon: illegal fishing, health risks, overfishing. Hence, the evaluation of quality and integrity of production sites is a very important topic. The present work is part of an integrated and multidisciplinar approach aimed at improving the management of the resource and also developing a specific traceability path. Heavy metals content both in sediments and organisms was determined; also, metallothioneins levels were evaluated. Finally, the level of genetic diversity among populations was assessed, through specific molecular markers. Results showed that, in general, the environmental quality of farming sites could be considered as quite good, although management of clam farming shoud be improved for a sustainable exploitation of the resource and for a mitigation of impacts. Genetic analysis showed a clear geographic structuring of haplotypes and the occurrence of multiple introduction events from different recruitment stocks. The present project presents interesting future perspectives, both in terms of basic knowledge and application.