Creating the tools for ecosystem based management of marine resources
The symposium was held 12–14 November 2012, at Cité des Congrès, Nantes (France) convened by Stefan Neuenfeldt (DK), Myron Peck (DE), Tim Essington (US), Niels Vestergaard (DK) and Vladimir Radchenko (RU). The symposium was held in close collaboration with the EU-FP7 project FACTS (Forage Fish Interactions).
The goal of the symposium was to review and discuss recent methods that enable us to quantify the links between forage fish and the other components of the ecosystem (from plankton to top predators and humans). The symposium was based around three themes:
Drivers of change
How do extrinsic drivers control the productivity and distribution of forage fish stocks within various ecosystems world-wide? What is the trophodynamic role of specific species in specific systems and how have those species responded to changes in climate-driven processes?
Management of marine resources
In specific systems, what are the economic and ecological costs and benefits of different forage fish management strategies? What tools exist or need to be developed to allow management to assess economic and ecological changes in a meaningful way?
Common Trait
What general lessons can be learned that will aid in the development of sustainable exploitation particularly in light of maintaining food security for developing nations?
Key note speakers
Jake Rice (CA), Akinori Takasuka (JP), Geir Huse (N), Røgnvaldur Hanesson (N), Jason Link (US), Jeremy Collie (US).