We have been saying that scale matters for a long time, so we are excited to see this two day workshop come together. Join us as we learn more about the ecological scales of the marine ecosystem.

We have been saying that scale matters for a long time, so we are excited to see this two day workshop come together. Join us as we learn more about the ecological scales of the marine ecosystem.

Fishermen and scientists are continually learning that stock boundaries of marine species aren’t always what we once thought. Fishery managers often face dilemmas when ecological and management boundaries don’t coincide. This public workshop will explore how fisheries management can better use data on stock structure and ecological processes in achieving sustainable fishery resources. Costs and benefits of using increasingly detailed data in management will be discussed.

Key Questions:

What do we know and what progress has been made?

• Identify evidence of spatial scale structure of populations and ecosystems, and provide examples where such spatial scales have been successfully incorporated within a management context.

What do we need to know and how will we get there?

• Identify critical information, processes, and scientific and managerial requirements needed to achieve fisheries management at appropriate ecological scales.

What are the social incentives, benefits, and risks of alternative management scales?

• Given fine-scale stock structure patterns, what types of fisheries management approaches will maximize our knowledge about ecosystem structure and function?
• Specifically consider consequences of management units that are too large vs. those that are too small.
• Identify the potential impacts on access and utilization of catch allocations by the fishing community.

Invited Speakers

• Dr. Michael Fogarty, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center
• Capt. Paul Howard, New England Fishery Management Council
• Dr. Ana Parma, Argentine Council for Science and Technology, Centro Nacional Patagonico
• Dr. Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Who Should Attend

All fisheries stakeholders are encouraged to attend and to submit in advance an idea for a talk/poster/panel discussion (see Abstract Submission).

Cost

Registration is $50, including breakfast, lunch, and parking for both days, as well as a copy of the summary report. Commercial fishermen may request a waiver of this fee. For an additional $25, join us for the poster session aboard the M/V Thomas Laighton, featuring locally-caught, sustainable seafood.

Format

The workshop will step sequentially through the above key questions, including a talk from an invited speaker, followed by break-out sessions. The break-out sessions will provide participants the opportunity to participate in open discussions as well as hear focused presentations on break-out topics.

Organizing Committee:

• Mike Armstrong, MA Division of Marine Fisheries
• Steve Cadrin, University of Massachusetts
• Aaron Dority, Penobscot East Resource Center
• Rachel Feeney (Co-Chair), Northeast Consortium
• David Goethel, NH Commercial Fisherman
• Jake Kritzer, Environmental Defense Fund
• Ken La Valley (Co-Chair), NH Sea Grant
• Melissa Sanderson, Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association
• Fred Serchuk, NOAA Fisheries NE Fisheries Science Center
• Bob Steneck, University of Maine
• Melissa Vasquez, NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional Office
• Jim Wilson, University of Maine

For more information and to reserve your spot at the conference, please visit event website.