We are excited to host innovative sessions at the WFC within the following formats:
- Open for invited and contributed abstracts
- Formal research talks—15-minute oral presentations with 5 minutes for Q&A
- Speed talks—5-minute oral presentations with slide standardization/limitations coordinated by session organizers and Q&A blocks following a sequence of speakers
- Flex format— presenters have a designated time limit but the format between presenters may be different
- Environmental art—Media including visual, music, poetry, photography, film, movement
- Closed for abstracts (any featured participants are invited by session organizers and no abstract is required)
- Expert panels—1.5 hour sessions with ~4 speakers with audience engagement
- Roundtable discussions—1.5 hour sessions for in-depth interaction with >20 participants
- Workshops— Interactive instruction and hands-on training
- Networking functions— informal opportunities for participants to engage with others
For more information on session formats, please take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions and contact the program chairs: Abigail Lynch ([email protected]) and Gabriela Palomo ([email protected]).
Abstract Submission Now Closed
Addressing Contemporary Fisheries Issues Through Effective Scientist-Stakeholder Collaborations
Fisheries around the world, including in marine and freshwater ecosystems, face a myriad of issues that challenge the long-term sustainability of fisheries resources, fishing industries, and the associated communities. Efforts
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
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
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]
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
Battling Ghost Fishing: Ecosystem Impacts, Policy and Search and Retrieval
Ghost fishing is the continued capture of fishes and invertebrates by lost fishing gear. In addition to being an animal welfare issue, ghost fishing harvests from local resources and the
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
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
Current State of Plastic Pollution and Fisheries
Plastic debris, including microplastics, have the potential to impact fisheries globally. Plastic affects aquatic environments and organisms, including many key fish and fisheries species, as well as the ecosystems where
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,
Enhancing Coastal and Ocean Observing Networks for Ecosystem and Fisheries Monitoring and Prediction
Integrated multidisciplinary ocean observations are a key contributor to understanding ocean processes, variability and changes which have profound implications to support robust climate- and ocean-related forecasts, predictions, and projections to
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
Leveraging Fishery-dependent Data in Stock Assessments and Fisheries Management: Working at the Interface of Observer and Electronic Monitoring Data
Fishery-dependent data is used to inform fisheries managers and stock assessments across the globe; however, the types of data collected and the structure of monitoring programs is diverse and best
Making a Case for Ending Bottom Trawling
Bottom trawling is a very common and highly destructive type of fishing gear, imposing significant ecological, social and economic costs. Decisions on trawl fisheries management pose notable policy challenges. During
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
Management, Governance, Scientific and Socio-economic Attributes Driving Successes or Failures in Meeting Fishery Objectives
Fisheries vary along a wide range of attributes, which may influence the extent to which numerous fishery objectives are met. Some attributes may enable some objectives to be met while
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Road Maps for Incorporating New Methods into Science-based Fisheries Management
Changes in the climate, marine ecosystems, and management policies have increased the demand for novel and more holistic approaches to modeling ecosystems and resource management strategies. However, building trust and
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
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
Social and Ecological Dynamics of Global Distant Water Fleets and Emerging Policy Opportunities
Despite a recent increase in research on distant water fleets (DWFs), many details regarding their scale and scope remain unknown. Similarly, there is much to learn about their impacts on
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
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
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
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,
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)
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
Thiamine Deficiency in Fishes: A Symptom of Dysfunctional Aquatic Ecosystems
Thiamine (vitamin B1) availability influences community structure and dynamics across scales from microbes to fisheries. This essential coenzyme is required by all living organisms where it functions to catalyze key
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
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
Closed for Abstract Submissions
A Synoptic Framework for Assessing Synergies and Tradeoffs between Decarbonization Solutions and Fishery Ecosystems
This session invites participants to apply their knowledge to practical problem solving by contributing to a resource that will guide decarbonization planners and policy makers in harmonizing emissions-reductions objectives with
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
Advancing The Contribution Of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures To Ocean Conservation And Local Communities In Fisheries
The need for integrating effective conservation measures into more holistic ocean management strategies has never been greater, making marine conservation critical to sustainable development efforts. Other effective area-based conservation measures
Aquaculture-aided Fisheries Enhancement, Conservation, and Restoration: Towards Responsible Development and Effective Reform
Aquaculture-aided fisheries enhancement, conservation, and restoration initiatives have long been pursued worldwide and are receiving renewed attention in the context of adaptation to global environmental change. Experience with such initiatives
Blue Economy and Its Impacts on Small-Scale Fisheries: Moving Towards Just and Equitable Ocean Use and Protection
A critical challenge facing our growing human population on this primarily ocean-covered planet is how to equitably and justly manage, use, and protect marine resources across local, national, regional, and
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
Crafting Usable Science to Inform Fisheries Decision-making in a Changing Climate – Lessons from the Science-Policy Interface
Climate-driven impacts on marine species are a complex problem. The myriad challenges climate change poses for managers, stakeholders, and scientists are cross-cutting, cross-disciplinary, and contentious. The ability to move beyond
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
Defining Indicators for the Ten Steps to Responsible Inland Fisheries
The 2015 global conference, Freshwater, fish, and the future – cross-sectoral approaches to sustain livelihoods, food security, and aquatic ecosystems produced a forward-looking call-to-action characterized by the 2015 Rome Declaration’s
Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Approaches for Understanding Recreational Fishers
Understanding recreational fishers is challenging. We united experts in social and ecological sciences to produce an edited book focused on disciplinary and interdisciplinary overviews of attitudes and behaviors of recreational
Ecosystem-based Management in Multi-species and Environmentally Dynamic Fisheries
The effects of climate change on marine ecosystems are accelerating and projections indicate that fish production will be further affected within the relatively short term (e.g. 10 years), to the
eDNA (Environmental DNA)- technology and its utility in assessing aquatic biodiversity
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
Marine Stewardship Council’s Fisheries Conformity Assessor Fundamentals Course
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM – SOLD OUT Second session added: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM The course is open to everyone who holds a university degree in fisheries,
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
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
Onboarding Fisheries Scientists to Open Science: Integrating Collaborative and Inclusive Principles into Education, Workforce Development, and Community Management
The world’s fisheries are in a period of rapidly changing ocean conditions; Open Science will help the field adapt by promoting rapid innovation and collaboration to make science transparent, reproducible,
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
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
Science communication for fisheries professionals: Approaches for outreach and engagement
As fisheries professionals, the work we do has critical implications for supporting fisheries and the human communities that rely on these resources. Yet, the science needed to inform decision-making is
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.
The Bloom: A Networking Event for Women and Gender Minorities in Fisheries
Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE), a leading NGO focused on building gender equality in the seafood sector, hosts a networking group for women and gender minorities in the sector called
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
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.