{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T07:04:22Z","timestamp":1774335862630,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":76,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,27]],"date-time":"2025-12-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766793600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o Amadeu Dias","award":["CIIMAR 2024\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CIIMAR 2024\/2025"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2013Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/04033\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04033\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2013Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["LA\/P\/0126\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0126\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2013Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/04326\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04326\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2013Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/PRR\/04326\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/PRR\/04326\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2013Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["LA\/P\/0101\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0101\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"FCT\u2014Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e a Tecnologia"},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"European Commission\u2019s Recovery and Resilience Facility","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/04423\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04423\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"European Commission\u2019s Recovery and Resilience Facility","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UID\/PRR\/04423\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/PRR\/04423\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"European Commission\u2019s Recovery and Resilience Facility","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["LA\/P\/0101\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0101\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Fishes"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is one of the most emblematic coastal fish species in the Northeast Atlantic, with high commercial value for fisheries and aquaculture, and importance for sport and recreational fishing. Despite its socio-economic importance, the Iberian divisions, Cantabrian Sea (8c) and the Atlantic Iberian waters (9a), defined by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), lack stock delimitation data. Moreover, this species is missing basic biological information, a seasonal reproductive fishing ban, and the annual landings in this region are more than double the levels recommended by ICES. To investigate the population structure of D. labrax in these areas, 140 adult individuals (36\u201351 cm of total length) were collected between January and March 2025 in three locations along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula: Avil\u00e9s (n = 47), Peniche (n = 48), and Lagos (n = 45). Fish from each location were analyzed for body geometric morphometrics (truss network) and otolith shape contour (Elliptical Fourier Descriptors). Data were evaluated using univariate and multivariate tests to assess spatial differences and reclassification success among locations. Results revealed regional differences using body morphometry and otolith shape analyses. The overall reclassification success was 68% for truss networking, 51% for otolith shape, and 65% when both methods were combined. Despite the observed differences, the absence of clear, isolated populations supports the ICES definition of a single, though not homogeneous, European seabass stock in the Atlantic Iberian coastal waters. Nevertheless, individuals from Avil\u00e9s exhibited distinctive morphometric patterns and otolith shapes, suggesting possible adaptations to local selective pressures in slightly different environments. Further studies integrating genetic tools, otolith chemistry, parasitic fauna and telemetry analyses, as well as other fish samples from adjacent areas such as the Bay of Biscay, are recommended to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the population structure and migration patterns of this key species in the Atlantic Iberian coastal waters.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/fishes11010016","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,28]],"date-time":"2025-12-28T23:54:36Z","timestamp":1766966076000},"page":"16","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Population Structure of the European Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in the Atlantic Iberian Coastal Waters Inferred from Body Morphometrics and Otolith Shape Analyses"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Rafael Gaio","family":"Kulzer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FCT), University of Algarve (UALG), Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR\/CIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Avenida General Norton de Matos S\/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9593-4495","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rodolfo Miguel","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR\/CIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Avenida General Norton de Matos S\/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"},{"name":"School of Medicine and Biochemical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-0353-8877","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Filipa","family":"Rocha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life and Environmental Sciences (ECVA), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5636-9400","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o Soares","family":"Carrola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life and Environmental Sciences (ECVA), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7453-9381","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ros\u00e1ria Catarino","family":"Seabra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR\/CIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Avenida General Norton de Matos S\/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"},{"name":"School of Medicine and Biochemical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9813-4389","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eduardo","family":"Rocha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR\/CIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Avenida General Norton de Matos S\/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"},{"name":"School of Medicine and Biochemical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1411-0126","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karim","family":"Erzini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FCT), University of Algarve (UALG), Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"},{"name":"Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR\/CIMAR), University of Algarve (UALG), Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2831-025X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberto Teodorico","family":"Correia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR\/CIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leix\u00f5es, Avenida General Norton de Matos S\/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal"},{"name":"School of Medicine and Biochemical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1051\/alr\/2015007","article-title":"What can exploratory modelling tell us about the ecobiology of European sea 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