Fish and Fisheries at the Food-Water-Energy Nexus
We look forward to welcoming you to Seattle, Washington for the 9th World Fisheries Congress from 3-7 March 2024.
Organized through the World Council of Fisheries Societies, every four years delegates from around the world meet to exchange ideas and perspectives about new research, emerging issues, scientific breakthroughs, and governance related to fisheries science, industry, conservation, and management.
Join us in 2024 as we explore the congress theme of Fish and Fisheries at the Food-Water-Energy Nexus. We are preparing a program composed of an opening plenary, general sessions, education workshops, and planned symposia related to sustainability, fish and aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and society, and innovations in fisheries.
As host city, Seattle is an ideal location for an international fish and fisheries conference, with an international airport, a light rail system, and public transportation. Home to several academic, governmental and industry leaders in fish and fisheries sciences, Seattle has a vibrant downtown surrounded by verdant forests, snowcapped mountains, lakes and rivers, Puget Sound, and several National Parks.
Additional details about registration and the congress program will follow shortly. We look forward to welcoming you to Seattle.
Conference Timeline
Session submission open
Session submission closes
Abstract submission open
Abstract submission closes
Registration open
Congress begins
September 2022
13 January 2023
10 February 2023
30 June 2023
Summer 2023
3 March 2024
Call for Abstracts
Fish and Fisheries at the Food-Water-Energy Nexus
Abstract submission is closed
Abstract extension deadline was 14 July 2023
Indigenous People, Stories, and Local Community-led Fisheries Management
Indigenous people and local communities have lived with and developed relationships with other species/beings (e.g. water, fishes), in some cases, for thousands of years. During this time, lessons were learned,
eDNA (Environmental DNA)- technology and its utility in assessing aquatic biodiversity
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Environmental DNA (eDNA) assessment is a powerful tool for studying fish biodiversity in rivers, and it has become increasingly important for the management and
Gespe-gewa’gi: Mi’kmaw Fisheries and Their Connection to the People, Their Traditions and Homeland
The Mi’kmaq have fished and stewarded the waters in Mi’kma’ki for millennia, but mismanagement, conflict, and infringement of Treaty-protected rights have limited the extent to which Mi’kmaw can continue to
Application Of Population Models To Predict Dynamics Of Fish Exposed To Anthropogenic Changes
This session will explore mathematical models that have management implications for fish populations exposed to anthropogenic changes. Organizer: David Miller, USEPA, [email protected]
Fisheries Strategies for Changing Oceans and Resilient Ecosystems
FishSCORE2030 was endorsed as a decadal program by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The program will build a global network of scientists, stakeholders, and practitioners to
Managing Fisheries Bycatch of Threatened Species
Fisheries targeting relatively productive species can harm incidentally caught bycatch species with low fecundity and other life history traits that make them vulnerable to anthropogenic mortality. There has been increasing
Tools, Approaches, and Best Practices for Scaling Sustainable Coastal Fisheries Management
To meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and secure livelihoods for growing coastal populations in a changing world, it is clear that we must rapidly increase the scale and pace of
Management of Recreational Fisheries Accounting for Social Benefits, Economic Value, and Biological Sustainability
Recreational fisheries can represent a significant source of fishing mortality, have impact on ecosystems, and interact with commercial fisheries and other users of the marine environment. However, the evidence needed
Providing Mobile Tools to Report Activity and Scientific Data for Both Inshore Commercial and Recreational Fishers
This session is intended to explore the challenges and opportunities that exist in providing mobile tools to report activity and capture scientific catch and effort data for both inshore commercial
The Potential of Digitalization of the Whole Value Chain of the Fishing Sector Towards Sustainability, Quality and Safety
Digitization and advanced tools applied to fisheries, like Electronic Monitoring (EM) or Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM), artificial intelligence, machine and deep learning, data from different sensors or blockchain technologies, have
Learning from Each Other to Build Effective Networks for Innovative and Effective Governance to Sustain Iconic Diadromous Fishes
The complex life history strategies of diadromous fishes, using both ocean and freshwater habitats and often crossing political borders makes them particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic activities. The development of successful
Climate Change Impacts on Inland Fish and Fisheries
Freshwater and diadromous fishes are mired in an extinction crisis, and the irreversible loss of biodiversity has consequences for human food security and economic opportunity due to declining inland fisheries
Assessing the Status of Inland Fisheries for Policy
Global policy frameworks (e.g., the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Ramsar Convention, and Sustainable Development Goals) provide opportunities to assess how well inland waters and their ecosystem services are being conserved
Evolutionary Effects of Species Distribution Shifts: Building Adaptive Capacity for Conservation and Management
This session will bring together geneticists, ecologists, and modelers focused on understanding and managing the evolutionary, genetic, and ecological processes that maintain adaptive capacity in fish populations under rapid climate
GIS applications in Fisheries
This course will serve as an introduction to using spatial data in a geographic information system platform and is intended to meet the continued needs of fisheries professionals to integrate
Solving Sustainability Challenges at the Aquatic Food-Climate-Biodiversity Nexus
This section provides a platform for an international and interdisciplinary panel to discuss the development of marine and aquatic food-climate-biodiversity solutions that explicitly consider their complex social and ecological contexts.
Advancing Data-Limited Fisheries Management Implementation through Applied Capacity Building
Across the world, limitations in capacity and data often hinder sustainable management in coastal fisheries. Effective capacity building programs to support these fisheries in developing sustainable fisheries management plans can
Participatory Modelling and Stakeholder Engagement for Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management
Ecosystem-based fisheries management requires a profound understanding of the dynamics and feedbacks that occur within ecological systems, the human systems, and at the social-ecological interface. A number of different quantitative
Indigenous Fisheries Gathering – Transboundary Waters, Fish, Peoples, and Governance
The session, “Indigenous Fisheries Gathering – Transboundary Waters, Fish, Peoples, and Governance”, will bring together knowledge holders and rights holders from waterways and water bodies that intersect Indigenous territories and
Market-Based Tools for a Global Sustainable Seafood Future: Solutions for Addressing Equity, Inclusion and Transferability
This session will discuss the transferability of tools in the sustainable seafood movement, examining the challenges, successes, lessons learned and unsolved problems of implementers. Experts will discuss how systems designed
Enforcement and Observer Programs: An Essential Partnership to Protect Observers, Maintain High-Quality Data, Combat IUU, and Ensure Sustainable Fisheries Management
This session seeks to highlight the essential relationship between fisheries observer programs and enforcement in order to foster the support of observers and ultimately sustainable management of our marine resources.
Operationalizing Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management (EBFM) through Inclusive Research, Engagement, and Partnerships
Over the past decade, advances in scientific research have highlighted the importance of managing marine fisheries at ecosystem scales. However, the practice of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) remains patchy across
Rockfishes, Marine Protected Areas, and Anglers
Rockfishes are vulnerable species to overfishing and in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, a series of Marine Protected Areas across North America’s west coast were implemented in an effort
Managing Fisheries in a World of Shifting Stocks: Integrating Biological, Policy, Behavioural, Social and Economic Aspects
This session will convene discussions on current advances in fisheries management adaptation in response to changes in distribution and productivity of fish stocks due to climate change. These changes are
Dam Removal as a River Restoration Tool at the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
The dam removal movement has taken hold in the United States, Europe, and other developing countries, leading to thousands of dams being removed worldwide. A combination of improved scientific understanding,
The International Pacific Halibut Commission: 100 Years of Science-based Fishery Management
In 1923, the Convention for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea was signed by Canada and the United States of America (U.S.A)
Shark Depredation: Managing a Wicked Problem
This session will explore the challenging issue of shark depredation and current research directions involving researchers and resource managers from around the world. Key focus topics will be identifying the
Sustainable Fisheries Management through Innovative Seafood Traceability Solutions
In the fight to ensure that our seafood is safe, legally caught, and accurately labelled, traceability is a critical tool. However, to facilitate broad adoption, seafood traceability solutions must be
Tracking Progress Towards Global Fisheries Sustainability
Global leaders set a target to end overfishing and restore fish stocks to sustainable levels of abundance by 2020 as part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG target
Pathways for a Sustainable Co-existence of Offshore Energy, Fisheries and Marine Conservation: From Local Empirical Evidence to Global Perspectives
Offshore wind development is central to planning for renewable energy worldwide and reduction of carbon emissions. Existing, proposed, and planned offshore development overlaps with diverse marine ecosystems, and the effects
Reckoning with Colonialism in Fisheries: First Steps for Researchers
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM There is growing recognition that colonialism shapes fisheries sciences and management in contexts around the globe. Calls for justice in fisheries governance require systems-level
Financing Sustainable and Equitable Fisheries: Lessons Learned and Paths Forward
We plan to convene an expert panel session on financing sustainable and equitable fisheries, and convening representatives from philanthropy, public funding agencies, and investment funds. The expert panel will discuss
Worldwide Progress on Standardizing Freshwater Fisheries Sampling
Organizers: Scott Bonar, University of Arizona USGS Coop,KEVIN POPE, U.S. Geological Survey—Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Norman Mercado-Silva, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos Contact: Scott Bonar , University
Mitigating for Dam Effects to Migratory Fish: Balancing Benefits and Costs
Human uses of water—such as for food and energy production—can unintentionally impact aquatic ecosystems and migratory fish species that are valued by society. In particular, the construction and operation of
The Future of Small-Scale Fisheries in a Just Blue Economy
While global interest and investment in the blue economy accelerates rapidly, our attention to developing that economy in a just and inclusive manner severely lags. The small-scale fisheries sector provides
Mobilizing a Basic Income in the Fisheries
Fisheries are crucial to the social and economic well-being of coastal regions and Indigenous communities across North America and globally. However, those who work in the sector, which includes small-scale
Sustaining Human Health for a Sustainable Industry – Making Sense to Make Safer Healthier Fisheries
Sustaining the health and wellbeing of people in Fisheries has never been more important. Mental Health and wellbeing programs, psychological and physical safety programs all require commitment and behaviour change
Using Citizen Science To Solve Gaps In Fisheries Research And Management By Recruiting Anglers To Do The Work
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM In this workshop, participants will learn how to run a wide range of citizen science programs that can address specific research and/or management objectives.
Defining “Destructive Fishing” and Options to Support a Fair Transition to Low-impact Methods
The term “destructive fishing” is widely used across policy, media and academic sectors but with no agreed definition or associated indicators, progress towards sustainable fisheries management and reducing biodiveristy loss
Animal Welfare and Innovation in Capture Fisheries
Sustainable fisheries require animal welfare considerations for both target and non-target species. Learn about innnovative technology that helps improve aquatic animal welfare in capture fisheries and thereby the long-term sustainability
Going Beyond Environmental Sustainability: Integration of Social Responsibility into Sustainable Seafood Interventions
Embedding social responsibility into the definition of sustainability has accelerated across fisheries and their supply chains, as human rights and labor issues are increasingly being included as key elements of
Accelerating Progress: Solutions Through Innovative Technology, Selective Fish Passage and a Dynamic Science-Knowledge-Policy Interface
Fisheries science tells us that we have a fish sustainability crisis. Climate change and decades of human intervention have disrupted the balance of river ecosystems. Clean, renewable energy resources are
Fish and Hydropower: Impacts, Opportunities, and Constraints
Hydropower is an important source of renewable energy that also contributes important ancillary services related to grid reliability; however, construction, and operation of hydropower facilities can have significant impacts, including
Incorporation of Ecosystem Information into Fisheries Management Decisions
Failure to translate ecosystem science into management action can result when information is not conveyed to the appropriate management body or because of the nature of the information or the
Innovations in On-Demand Fishing
This full-day session will focus on the latest advancements, obstacles, and problem-solving pertaining to on-demand fishing. On-demand, or “ropeless,” systems eliminate static rope in the water column compared to fishing
Bringing Salmon Back From The Brink
Salmon are central to the economic, cultural, and spiritual existence and identity of peoples who live, work, and play in the temperate regions of our planet. oday, salmon populations distributed
Behavioral Ecology Informs the Conservation and Management of Fishes
Behavioral ecology is the study of how the environment and species interactions shape animal behavior to determine the success of individuals, populations, and species. It is a well-developed field with
Technologies, Guidelines, and Policies: An Open Discussion about Recreational Fishing Impacts and Solutions
This session aims to bring together a diverse and vibrant group of speakers from across the globe and create an environment for open discussions about the impacts of recreational fisheries,
Status of Fish and Fisheries in the Himalayan Region
Over 1.3 billion people depend on water and the associated aquatic resources in the Himalayan region. The ecosystems of the “third pole” and the animals inhabiting them are threatened with
Otoliths and Beyond: Advancing Chemical Tracers in Calcified and Archival Tissues for Sustainable Fisheries
Chemical data stored in fish otoliths and other archival tissues (e.g., scales, shells, fin rays, eye lenses) provide a wealth of information on fish life histories, from natal origins to
