Symposium Information

This symposium will bring together international fishery scientists, managers, and stakeholders to share insights into the current status and future prospects on ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). After achieving general international consensus on the need for EBFM in the 1990s, to what extent is it being successfully implemented? This symposium builds on the 16th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium, "Ecosystem Approaches for Fisheries Management," held in 1998, as well as international symposia held in France, Iceland, and Norway in the last decade.

Background

Since the 1990s, fisheries managers have been advised to broaden their scope of awareness beyond single-species considerations owing to

As a result, fisheries management has been shifting toward an ecosystem-based fisheries management, also called an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF). EAF strives to balance diverse societal objectives by taking into account the knowledge and uncertainties of biotic, abiotic, and human components of ecosystems and their interactions and applying an integrated approach to fisheries within ecologically meaningful boundaries.

Considerable progress has been made by organizations such as FAO, ICES, and PICES, to develop the framework, rationale, and international consensus toward ecosystem approaches. Efforts have been directed toward developing new modeling tools and ecosystem indicators that can be used for implementation. Yet some substantial challenges remain, including the need to develop operational objectives, requirements for more empirical information and associated increased costs of implementation, and practical matters of implementing the ecosystem approach by institutions that have failed to successfully implement single-species management.

For these reasons, it is timely to undertake a comprehensive review of EBFM, including new advancements and ongoing obstacles, case studies of implementation including successes and failures, progress toward operational objectives, new institutional arrangements, practical eco-region definitions, new analytical tools, and pragmatic approaches under cost constraints.

Goal

The goals of Ecosystems 2010 are twofold. First, we seek to evaluate global progress toward ecosystem-based fisheries management, by reviewing regional case studies, development of new analytical tools and practical approaches toward future progress. Second, given this evaluation, we seek to offer explicit, practical advice for progress in EBFM implementation.

Program

Oral presentations and posters addressing the Ecosystems 2010 symposium theme are sought covering the following topics:

Agenda

The agenda will be available after the abstract submission and review process is complete. The agenda will be updated as necessary until the time of the meeting.

Proceedings

Alaska Sea Grant will publish a peer-reviewed proceedings, including full papers based on oral and poster presentations, soon after the symposium. Members of the steering committee will serve as editors for the symposium proceedings.

Location and Facilities

All meeting sessions will be held at the Hotel Captain Cook in downtown Anchorage. The Captain Cook offers very nice accommodations with wireless Internet in meeting and guest rooms. Guest amenities include a café, fine dining, business center, health club, swimming pool, and whirlpool. Most guest rooms have great views of mountains or Cook Inlet.

Guest rooms will be available at the special meeting rate of $99/night single or double occupancy plus 12% bed tax. Be sure to make your reservations directly with the hotel by October 8, 2010. This rate extends three days prior to and three days after the meeting dates.

Hotel Captain Cook
939 W. 5th Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99501
1-800-843-1950 toll free or 907-276-6000
http://www.captaincook.com

If you have any questions or need further information, please see the contact information at the bottom of this page.

Steering Committee

Sponsors

Symposium sponsors

Additional sponsors

Symposium Contact Information

Sherri Pristash, Symposium Coordinator
Alaska Sea Grant College Program
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-347-6763 • Fax: 907-474-6285
Email: sherri.pristash@alaska.edu