All Sessions
Symposia | Accepting Abstracts
Adapting Introduced and Invasive Species Management Under Shifting Environments
Anthropogenic changes to the landscape and climate require fisheries managers to employ flexible and adaptive management strategies ensuring continued resource availability. Introduced and invasive species management has embraced flexibility, adaptation, and innovation out of necessity as new species of concern emerge, novel technologies are developed, and habitat is modified. Introduced
Advanced Statistical Solutions to Complex Fisheries Problems
Understanding how fish populations and their habitats respond and adapt to global change has become a fundamental challenge. With rapidly increasing data volume and expanding spatio-temporal extents of conservation and management problems, the role of advanced statistical methods for making valid inferences and predictions is more important than ever. Even
Advanced Technologies for Fisheries Monitoring and Integration with Cultural Practices
The effects of fishing pressure, habitat loss and alterations, and climate change on fish populations can negatively impact fishing communities, coastal economies, culturally important resources, and world food supplies. In general, fisheries monitoring is a time-consuming manual process involving large data sets prone to human error. State and federal agencies
Advances in Quantitative Fisheries Science
Understanding the life processes of aquatic organisms and their responses to changes in their environment presents numerous challenges to fisheries science and the management of fish populations. Advances in quantitative methods are needed to transmute information from data into knowledge and infer the biological, ecological, environmental, and anthropogenic processes that
Advances in Shark Deterrent Technologies to Reduce Bycatch in Fisheries
There are few fisheries that do not catch sharks accidentally. Estimates suggest millions of sharks are caught as bycatch each year worldwide, consequently hampering population rebuilding plans. Bycatch represents a global problem that demands local solutions. The shark repellent industry has grown substantially in the 21st century. For example, earlier
Advancing Sonar Techniques for Use in Research and Fisheries Management
This symposium will focus on the various types of acoustic sonar technologies, novel applications, and recent advancements that have enhanced efficiency. Presentations will be dedicated to discussing new techniques that will allow fishery biologists to conduct noninvasive surveys and effectively sample large volumes of water with minimal disturbance. We will
Amphidromous Post-larval Fisheries
Amphidromous post-larval fisheries are unique and globally widespread. Despite this, they have remained largely unknown to fisheries science. Due to being data deficient, many amphidromous post-larval fisheries have been labelled as highly unsustainable regardless of whether that is the case. Furthermore, there is a wealth of traditional knowledge held by
Animal Movement Models on Aquatic Landscapes: Climate Challenges and Solutions
Recently, there have been numerous publications of animal movement and migration models which span the gamut of cognitive behavior models to statistical approaches dealing with either a single species, or the entire trophic web, layered on underlying physical models ranging from high-resolution computational fluid dynamics models of small domains to
Applications of Satellite Remote Sensing for Fisheries Assessment & Management
This symposium explores the transformative impact of satellite remote sensing (RS) technology on fisheries assessment and management. Presentations showcase innovative applications of satellite RS in understanding fish populations, mapping habitats, and informing decision-making processes. Key topics include techniques for mapping fish habitats, monitoring population dynamics, and integrating satellite RS data
Applications of Social Science in Fisheries
The field of fisheries science has grown considerably in the past half century. However, the human aspect of fisheries management is often understudied. While great strides have been made in understanding fish populations, fisheries ultimately manage people, not fish. Social sciences help illuminate the complex human dimensions of fisheries, from
Balancing Modern Science and Traditional Use to Rebuild Columbia River Salmon, Sturgeon, and Lamprey
Salmon are one of the most important aspects of the cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the Columbia River Basin. They are rightly called Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum (Salmon People) for how completely the sacred fish shaped religion, culture, diets, and societies, and continue to do so today. First Foods of water, fish,
Beyond the Lab: How Can We Use Physiology to Inform Conservation?
Fishes face a wide array of anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., climate change, urbanization, and competition with human-introduced species) which invariably affects how they function in their habitats, with conspecifics, and within their community. These disturbances can affect an organism’s physiology, which dictates how it interacts with its surrounding environment. A mechanistic
Building Fisheries Science Partnerships between Fisheries Commissions and the U.S. Geological Survey
Presentations in this symposium highlight ways fisheries commissions, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and their partners are working together on fisheries priorities in the Great Lakes and on U.S. Coasts, foster inter-regional learning, and explore whether inter-regional approaches to common challenges are feasible. Regionally based fisheries commissions play a unique
Catch the Wave: Building Foundations for Success in Fisheries Careers
In collaboration with the Student & Early Career Professionals Subsection of The Education Section of The American Fisheries Society, our symposium focuses on empowering early career professionals (ECPs) in fisheries. Seasoned fisheries professionals will present on vital skills like effective communication, adaptability, leadership, and resilience, essential for ECPs to thrive
Celebrating Indigenous Fisheries Stewardship
Globally, Indigenous communities, including Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiians), have practiced sustainable stewardship in their territories, exemplified by successful, high-yield fisheries predating European contact. Employing culturally informed stewardship practices, Indigenous Peoples developed deep, place-based ecological knowledge that is crucial for flourishing aquatic ecosystems. Despite the effectiveness of this stewardship, assimilative and
Centering Fisher Questions and Collaboration in Research and Conservation
Fishers and other resource users are often the target group when developing and implementing conservation and management actions but are not always involved in the research process. This exclusion, even if unintentional, can lead to distrust in scientific findings or a lack of support for conservation actions. Involving fishers from
Championing Underdogs: Managing Imperiled Species Despite Political and Social Challenges
Marine species around the globe face an array of natural and anthropogenic stressors that reduce their long-term population viability. When these species have perceived value, typically accompanied by a positive public image, galvanizing social and political interest to protect and restore them faces little resistance. For species with less clearly
Climate, Collaboration, & Community: Cascading Effects and Pathways Forward
Coastal communities are at the frontlines of climate change. These communities sit at the confluence of climate-driven coastal hazards, ecological changes, and underlying social and economic vulnerabilities. Given the pace and scope of expected climate effects, there is a pressing need for strong collaborative research to understand, plan for, and
Coastal Systems in Flux: Fish and Fisheries in a Multi-stressor World
Many coastal and estuarine ecosystems worldwide are becoming increasingly degraded. Several intertwining factors including warming, eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, hypoxic events, ocean acidification, and habitat degradation and loss pose significant threats to the management and conservation of fish species. While the co-production of knowledge investigating these impacts by scientists, managers,
Collaborative Science through Fisher-Researcher Partnerships
Fishers have a wealth of knowledge and experience from the time spent on and under the water. Fisheries science is often enhanced by including the fishing community in data collection and research. It is important to continue to empower and equip fishers with tools and opportunities to participate in the
Connecting Headwaters with Mainstem Rivers, Enabling Fish Movement, and Restoring Watershed Function
Connectivity to facilitate fish movements need a wholistic approach to ensure life history requirements for fish are met. Climate change especially can present challenging conditions considering fish may need access to a variety of habitat types to adapt. We invite case studies, and other perspectives with a watershed basis for
Connecting Knowledges to Assess and Monitor Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Change
On a rapidly warming planet, ecosystems are changing and aquatic species are responding by shifting ranges, phenology, and biological processes. These changes impact the people who depend on these resources to support their families, cultures, and lifeways. Considering all knowledges is essential to effectively assess and monitor these changes, and
Connectivity Considerations for the Conservation of Fishes in Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
Ecological connectivity is a complex concept that links habitats across space and time and has important implications for the management and conservation of fishes. In the Anthropocene, humans have drastically altered both landscapes and seascapes, resulting in changes in ecological connectivity for both marine and freshwater systems. In many cases,
Co-Produced Fisheries Science and Management in the Gulf of Mexico
In the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the knowledge, expertise, and active engagement of fishermen has improved scientific understanding and successful management of the region’s diverse fisheries. This session will highlight the historic and current landscape of collaborative science in the Gulf of Mexico and involve a panel of scientists and
Co-production of Integrated Ecosystem-based Science for Management Decisions
There is a nationwide push for more holistic, ecosystem approaches to managing natural resources under changing conditions. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEA) provide an approach that integrates multiple components of an ecosystem, including human dimensions, directly into the decision-making process of resource
Creative Communications To Raise Awareness and Appreciation for All The Fish
This symposium is inspired by the continued need to raise awareness about and appreciation for all the fish. Since people act on behalf of what they care about, we are hosting this session to congregate and celebrate creative and novel communication and public engagement approaches that are: changing perceptions about
Dam Removal and Ecological Transformation on the Klamath River
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval to remove four dams on the Lower Klamath River in November 2022 marked a historic milestone for U.S. environmental conservation. Scheduled for completion in fall 2024, this project represents the largest dam removal effort in U.S. history, ensuring uninterrupted flow along the river for
Data-Driven, Community-Guided: The Future of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management
Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) considers interacting physical, biological, economic, and social processes within an ecosystem and aims to manage an integrated system that optimizes sustainable yields. EBFM is a more holistic management approach than single species management and may be particularly important in the face of climate change. Some
Decision Analysis to Include Social and Ecological Values in Fisheries Decisions
Making decisions for fisheries conservation and management requires consideration of multiple, potentially competing objectives, accounting for and potentially reducing uncertainty that might hinder the decision, and using the best available science. Decision analysis (i.e., structured decision making and adaptive management) provides a framework for decision makers to work with stakeholders
Ecosystem Modeling Approaches to Threatened and Endangered Fish Management
The variety of ecosystem modeling tools available to guide conservation and recovery efforts of at-risk, threatened, and endangered aquatic species is continually expanding. Current modeling approaches include a wide range of complexity, for example: matrix population models; multi-species population dynamics models; state-space models; agent/individual-based models; Bayesian belief networks; ensemble models;
Effects of Land-based Pollutants and Water Quality on Fisheries and Habitats
Management action to address land-based pollutants can improve coastal health, thus mitigating the effects of climate change. Coastal development, wildfires, and associated runoff lead to sedimentation, excess nutrients, and chemical contaminants, which impact the recruitment, growth, behavior, and mortality of fish populations and their biogenic habitats (e.g., coral reefs, seagrass
Electronic Tagging and Telemetry: Analyses, Field Methods, and Applications to Management
The goal of this symposium is to showcase recent advancements in electronic tagging technology and its practice – from data collection and field methods to analysis and integration into conservation and management decisions, as well as novel applications that bridge disciplines. Talks showcasing the use of electronic tagging in fisheries-adjacent
Emerging Challenges and Solutions in Marine Recreational and Non-Commercial Fisheries
Recreational and non-commercial hook and line fishing is a cornerstone for many coastal communities with an estimated 12.7 million participants in the United States of America in 2022. Non-commercial fishing, as defined in federal regulations, includes, but is not limited to, sustenance, subsistence, traditional indigenous and recreational fishing. As coastal
Emerging Threats to Northern Fish, Fishers, and Ecosystems
The Arctic and subarctic are warming at a rate up to four times the global average. This rapid environmental change has untold consequences for freshwater and marine ecosystems, the fish, and the fishers relying upon them. Examples of emerging threats include increased water temperatures (e.g., heat stress), declines in prey
Enhancing Fisheries Management and Conservation through Spatial Data and Data Accessibility
Fisheries management and conservation decision making is inherently spatial in nature, however use of spatial data in decision making is often hampered by a lack of data accessibility, visualization, and compatibility both within and among state and federal agencies, academia, and conservation organizations. Improving data availability, visibility, and compatibility with
Evaluating Climate Impacts and Adaptation Strategies for Fisheries and Fishing Communities
There is a critical need to better understand and anticipate changing climate and ocean conditions and how fish, fisheries and fishing communities can best adapt. Integrated modeling systems that tie together climate models, oceanographic models, ecosystem models and human dimension models are a promising tool to evaluate options and strategies
Fellowship Opportunity Advancing Ecosystem & Population Dynamics, and Marine Resource Economics
This symposium will kick off with a presentation explaining the NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship Program. This Fellowship opportunity funds PhD students working in collaboration with NOAA in Population and Ecosystem Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics. The remaining talks in the session will be given by
Fire Effects on Surface Waters
Fires—both natural and anthropogenic—have long been features of Earth’s terrestrial landscapes. Increasing fire sizes, frequencies, and intensities are predictable components of the climate crisis. Although such fires have obvious effects on terrestrial landscapes, including human settlements, their short- and long-term effects on aquatic ecosystems are generally less evident. Therefore, the
Fish as Ecological Indicators of Restoration Success
Anthropogenic changes to estuarine habitats have given rise to restoration projects all over the world. Whether the changes in an estuary are negative due to habitat degradation or positive due to successful restoration efforts, they inevitably affect inhabiting fish communities. These communities are the focal point for many stakeholders, and
Fish Habitat Partnerships – Local, Regional, and National Collaboration to Conserve Aquatic Habitats
Fish Habitat Partnerships bring together diverse groups of public and private partners as well as local communities, to conserve fish habitats. Fish Habitat Partnerships support local and regional efforts to strategically plan and implement aquatic habitat conservation programs, contribute technical and financial support for conservation projects, support regional assessments of
Fishery-independent Surveys: Maximizing Capabilities and Adapting to a Changing World
Indices derived from fishery-independent survey data are crucial inputs to stock assessments that are used to provide fishery management advice. Demands on fishery-independent surveys have increased as the climate changes, industries evolve, assessments increasingly incorporate ecosystem data, and competing ocean uses introduce operational challenges. Resources for conducting surveys have frequently
Fostering New Perspectives in Marine and Estuarine Science
Effective management and conservation of marine and estuarine fish, fisheries, and habitats alongside expanding coastal development and novel climate regimes calls for innovative technologies and more inclusive approaches. Greater understanding of how living marine resources, and the communities that rely on those resources, respond and adapt to unprecedented environmental variation,
Freshwater Mollusks of Ecological and Cultural Importance
Freshwater mollusks (Classes Bivalvia and Gastropoda) are largely understudied and underserved but often have significant historical and cultural significance to indigenous groups and are recognized for their vital ecological services. Freshwater mollusks are declining at rates disproportionate to other organismal groups, but these declines are often due to unknown causes
Getting It Right: Conservation Aquaculture for Recovery, Restoration and Supplementation
The AFS Fish Culture Section is proud to sponsor the session “Getting it Right: Conservation Aquaculture for Recovery, Restoration and Supplementation” at the upcoming 154th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Honolulu, HI. The session aims to build bridges between fisheries management and captive propagation communities of practice
Growing Fisheries Research and Management Through Angler Engagement
Anglers play an important role in providing scientists and managers with valuable data about the state of our fisheries. As new methods of angler engagement become commonplace, such as the use of mobile apps to assist in reporting, anglers are becoming ever more important to fisheries research. This symposium will
Harmonizing Offshore Wind Energy Development and Marine Fisheries Research
With the growing demand for clean and renewable energy, offshore wind has become an emerging sector in the United States. U.S. Executive Order 14057, under President Biden, set a goal of generating 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. Large-scale development would benefit the U.S. in greenhouse gas mitigation,
Highlighting the Cutting Edge: Graduate and Early Career Research in Genomics
Conservation Genomics is a burgeoning field due to the rapid evolution and recent advancements of ‘omics’ technologies. The use of high-throughput and long-read sequencing methods is changing both what we can ask and how we ask it. This symposium highlights the cutting edge of genomics research in fisheries and aquatic
Husbandry, Health and Happy Fish: Advances and Innovations in Aquaculture
Global aquaculture production continues to increase and is valued at nearly $7 billion in 2019 and grew by 2.7% in 2020 (FAO 2020). Aquaculture has a highly important role in supplying a sustainable seafood source, thus taking the pressure from wild stocks, and is an important stock enhancement tool. As
Inclusive Outreach and Education for Inspiring the Next Generation
The demographic makeup of the existing workforce is the legacy of hundreds of years of oppression, exclusion, and continued implicit reinforcement. Increasing diversity will not happen passively, but requires identifying and dismantling barriers in the system and transforming how we recruit and retain the next generation of fisheries scientists. This
Incorporating DEIJA Activities: Where to Begin?
Across many levels of AFS, DEIJA initiatives are discussed and implemented to various degrees. However, the hurdle of setting a tangible goal and even the basics of where to begin to incorporate DEIJA activities can feel overwhelming and impede implementation. If you are interested in incorporating sustainable DEIJA initiatives but
Incorporating Movement and Space into Analyses of Fish, Fisheries, and Ecosystem Data
Multiple analytical tools are now available to incorporate spatially explicit habitat, movement, and mortality into models to understand the drivers of species distributions and test the effects of different management actions and/or climate change on fish distributions and population abundances. Furthermore, the amount of spatially explicit fisheries data and associated
Indigenous & Community Stewardship of Pacific Coastal Fisheries in a Changing Environment
Indigenous communities in and around the Pacific, including Kanaka Maoli, First Nations, Native Americans, Māori, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Ryūkyūan, and additional Pacific Peoples, are united by deep, long-standing relationships with the ocean, but face common challenges when managing coastal fisheries due to globalization, colonialism, and climate change. This
Interweaving Traditional Ecological Knowledge with Genetic/Genomic Approaches for Fisheries Conservation and Management
Effective fisheries management in the Anthropocene requires contributions from multiple knowledge sources, ways of knowing and perspectives. This session will showcase the transformative potential of interweaving Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and genomic data for fisheries management. TEK encompasses a collection of insights from diverse sources and perspectives, built on long
Integrating Methods in Fisheries to Address Population Risk of Changing Hydrographs
Understanding the risk to fish populations associated with changing river hydrographs in light of climate change, hydropower operations, changes in water availability, etc., requires a multifaceted analytical approach making use of a combination of biological studies, and biological and hydrological models. This session is designed to further discussion on how
Investing in Communities, Science, and Restoration – NOAA BIL and IRA Funding
NOAA Fisheries is working with scientists, tribal nations and other community members to restore habitats and fish species via Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) investments. At this session, tribal and community partners will share how their traditional knowledge and practices—together with the NOAA investments—help achieve their
Knowledge Co-production and Management Strategy Evaluation
The knowledge co-production broadens the net cast when establishing what is valued and ultimately how fisheries are managed. Purposeful engagement with fishing communities allows for a critical evaluation of the effectiveness of a management process as well as establishing how a resource should be valued when exploring management options. The
Knowledge Co-production in the Implementation of Closed Season and MPAs in Africa
As part of fisheries governance initiatives, conservation measures such as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and seasonal closures have been deployed as important management strategies in the rebuilding of depleted marine fish stock. Whilst there is limited knowledge on MPAs in Africa despite its global popularity as an important marine conservation
Large Blue-water Marine Protected Areas: Benefits and Costs
A number of large MPAs in the open ocean have been established and more are planned. This session will address what is known about the consequences of these closed areas, in terms of changes in the marine ecosystem, impacts on fisheries, and impacts on local communities. There will also be a
Lateral Line Depigmentation and Chronic Ulcerative Dermatopathy in Salmonids
Lateral line depigmentation (LLD) has been described using a variety of terms, including hole in the head disease and head and lateral line erosion, and has been documented in many species of marine fishes, particularly ornamental fish in captivity. Few instances of LLD have been reported in freshwater fishes, however
Lessons in Fish Reproduction for Sustainable Fisheries: Learning from Multiple Knowledge Sources
Achieving sustainable fisheries requires operational methods of monitoring and multiple ways of understanding fish reproductive potential in light of climate dynamics and a variety of anthropogenic factors. This session will showcase some of the challenges to assessing fish reproduction, what we have learned and how we can move forward to
“MacGyvering”: Innovative Problem Solving in Fisheries Science
The MacGyvers are back by popular demand! Fisheries scientists are often successful in “MacGyvering” innovative solutions to a question or problem. They do this by inventing, building, or repurposing technology or analytical tools, especially when resources or tools are limited or absent. Over time, these innovative solutions created important breakthroughs
Managing Fisheries Bycatch of Threatened Species
Fisheries targeting highly productive species can have profound impacts on co-occurring species also susceptible to capture that have long generation lengths, low fecundity and other life history traits that make them vulnerable to anthropogenic mortality. There has been increasing concern over the sustainability of bycatch mortality of marine megafauna given
Mauka to Makai (Mountain to Sea) Connectivity in Changing Tropical Systems
Tropical ecosystems are distinctive and have high species richness and high rates of endemism, featuring interconnected terrestrial, fluvial, and coastal systems in close proximity. Streams serve as vital links, connecting these systems and facilitating the movement of aquatic organisms. The reliance on connectivities and habitats among these diverse systems underscores
Modern Advances in Age Estimation and Age Validation
Age is fundamental to population ecology and fisheries science. Age-structured stock assessments rely on accurate and precise estimates of age to estimate stock status and sustainable exploitation rates. Historically, age has been estimated by microscopic examination of growth zones in hard parts (e.g. – otoliths, scales, vertebrae) with the assumption
Moving Together with Small-scale Fisheries for Conservation
Conservation and stewardship are integral to the practice of many small-scale fisheries, especially those with long-term connection and cultural tie to the fisheries. They often have deep and insightful knowledge about the ecosystem, and in many instances, have their own conservation measures through customary law and norms. Much can be
Native Freshwater Nongame Fishes: Here, There, and Everywhere
Native freshwater nongame fishes are integral to aquatic ecosystems worldwide and provide ecological, cultural, and economic value. Despite the remarkable diversity of native freshwater fishes observed here (in Hawaii), there (where you work), and everywhere (in between), there are shared commonalities in many of the threats and challenges, importance, and
Natural Land Cover: Quantifying Levels Necessary to Protect Freshwater Habitats and Conserve Species
Aquatic ecosystems evolved under watershed process regimes in connected drainage networks. Land cover type in catchments has long been recognized as being an important influence on these regimes. Aspects of aquatic habitat crucial to the persistence of native species have been shown to respond to natural vegetative land cover, including
Northern Pike: From Fascinating to Formidable
Depending on where you live, Northern Pike (Esox lucius) may be a protected native species beloved by anglers or a notorious invasive requiring extensive resources for suppression, eradication, and prevention. In the Columbia River Basin, non-native Northern Pike pose a great threat to extensive investments made to protect ESA-listed salmon
Offshore Wind, Fish, and Fisheries – Emerging Knowledge and Applications
U.S. offshore wind development is expected to create 30 gigawatts of generation capacity by 2030, requiring more than 2,000 turbines. Commercial-scale offshore wind activity in U.S. waters includes 29 lease areas in the Atlantic, five in the Pacific, and one in the Gulf of Mexico, with four projects already connected
Pairing Indigenous Knowledge Systems with Western Science to Rebuild Depleted Populations
Inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge in fisheries decision-making is strengthened by legislation, however the recognition of Indigenous Knowledge systems in management plans, and the supporting research and assessment, varies widely. This Symposium will bring together Knowledge Holders, practitioners, and researchers from Indigenous organizations, agencies, and academia to learn about challenges, opportunities,
Partnerships to Enable Environmental Innovation for the Clean Energy Transition
Renewable energy is considered a necessity to reduce our world’s dependence on fossil fuels to mitigate climate change, however energy installations (both energy production facilities as well as distribution systems) come with unique challenges that impact aquatic ecosystems. Partnerships between various sectors of the community are essential to advancing goals
Party Wave Acoustic Telemetry: Fisheries Research through Collaboration and Knowledge Co-production
Acoustic telemetry networks (nodes) are regional programs aimed at maximizing the research outcomes of electronic tracking studies by fostering collaboration and facilitating data-sharing among researchers. Data-sharing partnerships among regional nodes further expand the scale over which collaborations may occur, and the establishment of new nodes, along with growing membership within
Preventing Harm from Abandoned, Lost or Derelict Fishing Gear from Capture Fisheries: Management, Policy, and Prevention
This session will explore successful management approaches to prevent and remediate harm from abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) from capture fisheries throughout the world’s fisheries. Adverse effects of ALDFG can include entanglement of and ingestion by animals, damage to sensitive marine and nearshore habitats, release of microplastics and
Proactive Programs to Protect Aquatic Habitat
Government agencies are often perceived to be reactionary rather than proactive. Limitations in staffing, large workloads, and incredible responsibilities largely limit the ability to successfully manage or develop new programs for conservation. However, some programs throughout the US and North America are designed to prevent problems from happening in the
Putting Fisheries Science to Work: Innovative Ways to Bridge the Knowledge-Action Gap
A “knowledge-action gap” exists in natural resources management due to social, institutional, and cultural factors. Barriers on both the knowledge-generation and knowledge-action sides of the equation present challenges for fishery researchers to generate relevant and actionable information, and for managers to integrate the best-available knowledge into their decision-making. This symposium
Ready, Set, Hire: Paving the Way for Future Fisheries Workforce, Stewardship and Conservation
This session is being sponsored by NOAA Fisheries and is an open forum for students and professionals to engage with scientific, policy and administrative professionals within NOAA Fisheries. Participants will benefit from hearing about the many pathways of employment opportunities, including those from a diversity, equity and inclusive lens, that
Recent Developments and Applications of Spatio-temporal Modelling for Fisheries Management Advice
Spatio-temporal models are widely and increasingly used, and provide important insights in ecology and fisheries management. They extend the tradition of state-space models in fisheries science by accounting for spatial and temporal autocorrelation, and can include mechanistic processes including movement, species interactions, size/age structure, and ecological teleconnections. They can account
Remote Sensing for Fish Conservation in an Era of Global Change
Remote sensing technology offers the ability to derive information on fish habitats across broad geographic areas and has the potential to fundamentally change the way fish habitat is monitored. The past decades have seen increasing amounts of diverse remote sensing observations leading to increased access to free and open, analysis
Research and Conservation of Ancient Fishes
Scientists think the first fishes originated 400-500 million years ago. Despite many potential threats that could lead to extinction, some ancient species are extant today and could broadly inform conservation in a changing climate. This symposium will include presentations on research (e.g., life history, population dynamics, genetics, status, cultural significance,
Resilient by Design: Measuring Effectiveness of Freshwater Restoration
This symposium is dedicated to exploring diverse strategies in freshwater restoration, emphasizing the critical role of restoration in enhancing ecological resilience – the capacity of an ecosystem to resist disturbance and recover quickly. Interventions such as dam removals, control of aquatic invasive species, and community and ecosystem-level restoration initiatives, including
Resource Surveys in a Changing Landscape
Resource surveys collect a wealth of information critical for use in stock assessment and fishery management. Conducting surveys in the face of changing environmental and climate conditions as well as coastline and structural impediments can be challenging. Collection of environmental data can also be a challenge in terms of assessing
RespFest4: The Use of Respirometry as a Tool to Support Fisheries Conservation
Improving our understanding of how metabolic rates are regulated by the environment in the context of fisheries conservation involves exploring how energy is allocated for growth, reproduction, and considering how individual traits affect metabolism in aquatic organisms. This session aims to bring together studies that use respirometry as a tool
Reshaping Research and Centering Indigenous Communities in Fisheries Management
As we continue to grapple with environmental, aquatic, and social challenges, we invite scholars to join us in a session that seeks to identify solutions and strategies to improve the health of our fisheries and fisheries dependent communities for future generations. We invite speakers to share their experiences and methodologies
Restoration, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management in U.S. Pacific Northwest Estuaries
This session addresses the complex challenges faced by program managers on the U.S. West Coast in effectively protecting and restoring habitats for salmonids. The overarching goal is to highlight the innovative approaches employed by estuary programs to improve habitat for salmonids, address climate uncertainties, and establish collaborative networks to facilitate
Science and Management of U.S. Island Fisheries: Challenges, Successes, and Forward Progress
The fisheries of the U.S. island territories in the Caribbean (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Western Pacific (Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa), and the state of Hawai’i (HI) share many common qualities that present technical challenges for performing stock assessments and providing
Setting Boundaries: Integrating Biocomplexity into Assessment-Management Paradigms
Ineffective fisheries management can result when the spatial scales of assessment and management are inconsistent, or do not reflect the spatial complexity of fish biology or fishery operations. Therefore, it is important to periodically revisit the spatial assumptions of assessment and management to ensure that the scales remain appropriate and
Snake River Dam Removal: AFS Policy Program In Action
In the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River basin dominates the landscape The Snake River, the main tributary of the Columbia River, was once free flowing and teeming with salmon and steelhead. Today, only 1-2% of the historic numbers of wild fish return to the Snake River. Calls to remove the
Sound Production and Soundscapes for Fisheries Conservation and Management
Aquatic animals rely on sound to understand their environment, including communicating with conspecifics. Many fish species have been documented to produce sounds, with 1,185 different species across 133 different families known to be soniferous. The ambient underwater soundscape has been changing due to the growing contribution of human-generated noise sources.
Spawning Splendor: Exploring Fish Aggregations in Tomorrow’s Seas
Working with fish spawning aggregations (FSAs)? Come join this interactive session to learn what has been learned from FSA studies in the past, what remains to be learned, and what tools we need to accomplish this. In this session we ask participants to give rapid (2 minute) presentations related to
Successes and Challenges of Integrating Ecosystem Indicators into Management
This symposium will examine approaches to integrate ecosystem considerations into fisheries management and discuss the successes and challenges of integration. By discussing critical issues like how we define system level changes, such as regime shifts, and stock-level changes in productivity (growth, mortality, recruitment) and their association with ecosystem indicators, we
Surveying 2.0 – Novel Methods for Data Collection in Recreational Fisheries
Globally, recreational fishing is a socially and economically important activity but also affects fish stocks and aquatic environments. Therefore, robust recreational fisheries data are required to support sustainable management of fish stocks and aquatic ecosystems. Technological progress and digitization have led to the development of novel data collection methods such
Sustaining Aquatic Ecosystems with Holistic, Functions-based Approaches to Environmental Flows
Establishing quantitative criteria for environmental flows—water needed to sustain biodiversity and the services that healthy freshwater ecosystems support—is essential to reversing worldwide trends in freshwater ecosystem degradation. Yet, environmental flow programs tend to be narrowly focused on the habitat needs of threatened and endangered species. Flow programs are also often
The 6th MYRIBS: Over 10 Years of International Communications and Collaborations
The 6th Mississippi-Yangtze River Basin Symposium (MYRIBS) focuses on the conservation and management of the Yangtze and Mississippi River basins and their respective aquatic resources are hereby encouraged, as well as presentations on studies of other large (i.e., boatable) rivers and their tributaries, and lakes or lake basins in the
The Art of Cross-Cultural Science Communication
The art of science is its ability to translate across cultural barriers. Science literacy has stayed stable over the past 20 years despite increased modes to provide access to science. Incorporating and elevating voices from communities and cultures outside of the traditional presentation of western science allows understanding of the
The Future of Pacific Salmon
Total commercial catches of Pacific salmon by all countries are at historic high levels yet there are ominous signs of a declining abundance. Total Pacific salmon catches by Canada in the past five years are annually less than 10% of the catches from 1970 to 2000. Total commercial catches of
The Future of the Western Division of AFS – Research Throughout the West
This symposium will highlight the research being conducted within each of the Chapters throughout the Western Division. Organizer: Laurie Earley, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Western Division AFS, [email protected] Supported by: Western Division AFS
The Future of Visual Surveys of Fishes: Approaches, Lessons, Applications
Fisheries resources face numerous threats, including overfishing, habitat degradation, and climate-related changes. Accurately characterizing spatiotemporal distributions and status of these populations is crucial for sustainable fisheries management and ecological conservation. This symposium, organized by leading experts in the field, aims to address these challenges by exploring innovative approaches and technologies
The Potential of Fisheries to Prevent and Reduce Marine Debris
This session focuses on current efforts to engage fisheries in the prevention and reduction of marine debris. Specifically, this session will highlight marine debris investments in the National Sea Grant Office by featuring five Bipartisan Infrastructure Law- and Inflation Reduction Act-funded projects across the US. These projects engage community volunteers,
Tools and Approaches for Developing Community-Led Coastal Fisheries Management Actions
In coastal fisheries, the design, development, and implementation of fishery management actions can be challenging. Each unique fishery setting has diverse characteristics – such as existing management frameworks, cultural connections and traditional practices, and degree of stakeholder engagement – that influence the process of engaging community members in setting up
Toxic Waters: Investigating the Physiological Impacts of Pollutants on Aquatic Life
Our waterways are relentlessly affected by pollution throughout the year – from industrial waste to mining runoff to agricultural pollution and oil spills, all exacerbated by global warming. When toxins enter lakes, rivers, oceans, or groundwater, water quality and aquatic life suffers. Evaluating water quality is straightforward, but unraveling the
Transparent, Open Incorporation of Co-produced Knowledge into Fisheries Population Models
This session concerns the specific methods to incorporate co-produced knowledge into scientific models of fishery population dynamics. These efforts are often integrated within an “open-science” framework to facilitate transparency and participation, so we especially encourage presentations that include this sub-theme. This session will include breakout sessions, a panel discussion with
Understanding Fisheries as Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) to Improve Management
Inland and marine fisheries are coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) in which humans and nature are linked via reciprocal interactions that operate at local, regional, and global scales. Fisheries are central to food security, nutrition, and livelihoods globally, yet fisheries are also highly vulnerable to threats including over-exploitation, impacts
Understanding How Multiple Stressors Interact and Impact Species for Place-based Management
Climate change is exacerbating existing environmental stressors through changes to the fundamental drivers of ecosystems. These changes in temperature, precipitation, seasonal cycles, biogeochemistry impact processes such as deoxygenation, nutrient and carbon cycling, respiration rates, stratification, ocean circulation, upwelling, and mixing. This leads to implications for the prevalence, severity, and duration
Understanding the Adaptive Capacity of Fish: Resiliency in a Changing Climate
Climate change represents a significant challenge to aquatic ecosystems. Understanding how species may be affected will help determine feasible adaptation solutions. Adaptive capacity (AC – the ability of a species, ecosystem, or human system to cope with or adjust to climate change) has been applied through climate change vulnerability assessments,
Valuing Fish Populations, Habitat, and Water Quality within Social-Ecological Systems
Managers must balance the economic costs and ecological benefits of water quality and habitat improvements to maintain conditions suitable for both aquatic life and human uses. Reliable estimates of costs and benefits can aid allocating resources and communicating the rationale for restoration planning. Tools and approaches are needed that link
Versatile Rotenone: Managing Fisheries, Recovering Species, and Eliminating AIS
Fish management in North America has long relied on the rotenone. Despite being one of the most versatile, well-studied, safe, cost-effective, and valuable tools available, challenges remain. Regulatory agencies continue to question rotenone’s safety, while the public is often misinformed and leery of the need for rotenone. More work is
Views on Undergraduate Curriculum in Fisheries
Recent reviews suggest that undergraduate curricula in fisheries programs will need to adapt to produce students with the knowledge, competencies, and skills needed to promote management, conservation, and sustainability of fisheries resources through the work of state, federal, provincial and tribal agencies, NGOs, and the private sector. Undergraduate curricula are
What’s New? Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes, 2nd Edition
The ability to compare data over time and space; via standard sampling, indices and comparison methods; has revolutionized inland fisheries science, contributing to baseline knowledge of fish populations and ecology, their conservation and management, and fisheries education. Conversely, inability to compare such data has hampered fisheries planning, trend monitoring, and
Innovative Sessions | Not Accepting Abstracts
Co-creating and Sharing International and Traditional Knowledge about Fish Passage and Hydropower
We aim to organise an innovative session where using online tools such as Mentimeter, we will create an engaging environment to co-create and share international and traditional knowledge about fish passage. Fish passages are century-old engineering tools used to mitigate the impacts of dams on fish migration and movement in
Collaboration in Practice
The challenges associated with promoting coastal sustainability and building community resilience in environment management can be tackled through transdisciplinary approaches and cooperative efforts among stakeholders. This session will explore stakeholder engagement methods that integrate the diverse experiences and perspectives of community members. These tools will reveal what community members value
Communicating Climate Change Impacts: Hands-on Learning to Enhance Policy and Public Buy-in
Climate change poses a major threat to fisheries around the world, but many fisheries managers/researchers lack the skills for effectively communicating this complex and controversial issue. It is critical for fisheries managers to successfully promote audience buy-in toward sustainable actions. In this symposium, fisheries and science communication professionals will demonstrate
Developing an Effective Risk Reduction Strategy to Ensure a Safe Work Environment for Observers
This innovative session will explore the process of developing, implementing, and maintaining an effective risk reduction strategy to ensure a safe maritime work environment for observers. The risk reduction strategy developed by the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement Alaska Division is based on the Routine Activities Theory, which suggests
Do the DNA, and Communicate It with a K.I.S.S.
Genomics research generates relevant insights for sustainable fisheries management and conservation strategies. But geneticists often fail to clearly explain why such complex approaches matter, and how genomic data can be applied. This session aims to bridge this gap by fostering dynamic discussions on the art of communicating ‘Doing the DNA.’
Innovations in Remote Sensing Technologies for Fisheries Assessment and Management
This innovative session will explore recent advancements in remote sensing technologies and their applications in fisheries management. From PIT tags and stream-based sensors to satellite imagery, innovative techniques are revolutionizing our ability to monitor fish populations, assess habitat conditions, and inform sustainable management strategies. Through lightning talks and interactive, small-group
Intergenerational Knowledge Exchange For Indigenous Marine Stewardship and Cultivation
Sustainable traditions of marine stewardship and cultivation have existed for millenia, providing deeply rooted, place-based food relations across the Pacific. Some of these resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems include Indigenous fisheries and aquaculture systems such as clam gardens, fishponds, beng, and community-based fisheries. Indigenous marine stewardship practices nourish communities
NOAA Climate, Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative (CEFI)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched implementation of the Climate, Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative (CEFI) to provide fisheries managers and fishing dependent communities with information to prepare for and respond to rapidly changing marine ecosystems. The CEFI will build a nation-wide Decision Support System (System) that links
Pollution, Toxicity, and the Need for More Species-specific Data
Water pollution may result in toxicant exposures to fish species and habitat. These exposures have the potential to cause direct mortality, reduced growth, altered behavior, reduced fecundity, adverse modification of habitat, and reduction in prey. More data is needed to better understand the spatial extent of pollution transport, mechanisms and
Tamamta (All of Us): Exploring Positionality & Relationality in Transformational Work
The Tamamta program seeks to transform fisheries education, research, and governance systems in Alaska and beyond. We are motivated by deep systemic inequities, Indigenous erasure, racism, and continued violence against Alaska Native peoples, and we strive to uplift Tribal sovereignty, Indigenous values, governance practices, and knowledge systems. We envision a
The Fishery Knowledge Project: Raising Communication Standards for Fisheries Management
Knowledge co-production aims to gather and integrate different types of knowledge to address, or better understand, a problem. This is critical for meeting the management demands of fishery social-ecological systems; it also raises the standard for communication and interpretation of complex information. This session invites fisheries professionals in science, management,
To Citizen Science or Not: Building a CitSci Project for Resource Management
Many governments and organizations are encouraging the use of citizen science projects in fisheries. This session will help participants determine if and how to create a citizen science project with the potential to contribute to resource management. Questions that will be explored in this session include, is this project right