DEVELOPING AND INTEGRATING ENHANCEMENT STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE AND RESTORE FISHERIES

10TH FSU-Mote International Symposium on Fisheries Ecology and 6th International Symposium on Stock Enhancement and Sea Ranching

_______________

The symposium took place November 10-14, 2019, at Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida. Sincere thanks to all those who participated.

_______________

Symposium overview

While worldwide production from capture fisheries peaked in the mid '90s and has remained relatively stable since then, the threats to fisheries from climate change, population growth, and pollution are steadily growing. Contemporary fisheries management requires continual innovation and adaptation to respond to these threats. After more than a century of development, stock enhancement, sea ranching and restocking (aquaculture-based enhancement), as well as habitat rehabilitation and restoration, have transitioned into tools commonly used to manage exploited or threatened populations of marine, estuarine and freshwater species. Clearly, the measures employed must be responsible, effective, opportune, socially acceptable, and economically and ecologically sustainable over the long term.

From Nov. 10-14, 2019, the 10th FSU-Mote International Symposium on Fisheries Ecology and the 6th International Symposium on Stock Enhancement and Sea Ranching joined forces to hold a combined symposium in Sarasota, Florida, to explore the scientific basis and practice of aquaculture-based and habitat-based fisheries enhancement, and identify where these approaches can be improved and integrated to create new opportunities for resource management.
_____________