ANALYSIS OF MICROSATELLITE DNA FROM OLD SCALE SAMPLES OF ATLANTIC SALMON SALMO-SALAR - A COMPARISON OF GENETIC COMPOSITION OVER 60 YEARS

Microsatellite analysis was applied to scale samples of Atlantic salmo n collected up to 60 years ago. Samples from the 1930s, from a now end angered Danish population, were compared with recent samples (1989), t o test if the present population consists of descendants from the orig inal one. Allele frequencies had changed over time, but individuals fr om the two samples caught about 60 years apart clustered together when compared with the closest neighbouring population and another referen ce population. However, fewer alleles were detected in the recent samp le from the endangered population, most likely due to a population bot tleneck or sampling artefacts.