The symposium will be held from 12–14 November 2012, at Ifremer, Nantes (France) convened by Stefan Neuenfeldt (DK), Myron Peck (DE), Tim Essington (US), and Vladimir Radchenko (RU). Link to symposium web page

The symposium will be held in close collaboration with the EU-FP7 project FACTS (Forage Fish Interactions). The goal of the symposium is to review and discuss recent methods that enable us to quantify the links between forage fish and the other components of the ecosystem (from plankton to top predators and humans).  The symposium will be based around three themes:

Drivers of change: How do extrinsic drivers control the productivity and distribution of forage fish stocks within various ecosystems world-wide? What is the trophodynamic role of specific species in specific systems and how have those species responded to changes in climate-driven processes?

Management of marine resources: In specific systems, what are the economic and ecological costs and benefits of different forage fish management strategies? What tools exist or need to be developed to allow management to assess economic and ecological changes in a meaningful way?

Common Traits: What general lessons can be learned that will aid in the development of sustainable exploitation particularly in light of maintaining food security for developing nations?

Confirmed key note speakers: Jake Rice (CA), Akinori Takasuka (JP), Geir Huse (N), Røgnvaldur Hanesson (N), Jason Link (US), Jeremy Collie (US).