Advantages and Limitations of DNA Barcoding in Identifying Commercially-Exploited Fish Species

DNA barcoding aims to be an effective tool for species identification based on partial sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene (CO I). The method offers several advantages like small amount of biological samples needed, applicability for all life stages and differentiation among phenotypically alike species. Our study aimed at barcoding economically and ecologically important salmonids. The sequences were determined by using specific primers when the so-call universal primers failed to give amplifications. The sequences were BLAST with GenBank and BOLD databases for species identity confirmation. With one exception, the results of barcoding were congruent with the ones based on morphology in the cases when this last type of diagnostic was done. The method can be regular carried out for species identification, but is totally inefficient when is dealing with hybrids and should be avoided for species that can naturally hybridize.