Summary:
Stock structure of Norway lobster off southern Iceland was investigated using 12 microsatellite loci. No genetic method detected significant genetic differentiation among the sampled locations, even among Icelandic samples and an out-group from Scotland. Testing the power of resolution of microsatellite loci, the loci and sample sizes used were sufficient to detect significant genetic differentiation with confidence. The lack of genetic structure is discussed in terms of the level of gene flow, recent isolation of populations, and the statistical power of the experimental design.