A: Shellfish in new and changing environments
General life history parameters and basic biology are relatively well studied for most shellfish species of commercial interest. Much less is however known about how shellfish cope with a changing environment inside their “traditional" distributional areas and how they adapt outside those areas where they appear as range-expanders or invaders. Also, human activity other than fishing, e.g. aquaculture, has increased to levels where they may affect wild populations of shellfish.
Keywords: shellfish as invaders, shellfish changing distribution, shellfish in a changing environment of ocean climate and species composition, production potential, resilience, early life stages, population dynamics, dispersal and connectivity, predator-prey relations, regime shifts, temperature, ocean acidification, biodiversity, ecosystem impact, aquaculture effects
Chairs: Dr. Bernard Sainte-Marie, DFO, Canada and Dr. Ann-Lisbeth Agnalt, IMR, Norway
Keynote: Richard Wahle, UMaine, USA
B: Assessment and population dynamics of shellfish
Fisheries management requires information on the abundance and productivity of the resource. Various data collection programs are designed to provide sources of information, which are then processed further in stock assessment frameworks to derive management advice. How good are we at getting the numbers right? How can we establish baseline information for invading/expanding and new/emerging species in the Arctic? How frequently should basic information such as maturity ogives, size-fecundity relationships and age-length keys be assessed in changing environments? Is there a need to measure other features in a changing environment?
Keywords: stock assessment models, population dynamics, reference points for sustainable exploitation, need for special treatment in Arctic environments, different approaches for invasive species and range-extending species, the construction and communication of advice, survey methods, using information from the fishery
Chairs: Dr. Carsten Hvingel, IMR, Norway and Professor Gordon Kruse, UAF, USA
Keynote: Dr. Cody Szuwalski, NOAA, USA
C: New ways harvesting of shellfish
Shellfish are a high-value food source and support substantial fisheries. How should we optimize the fishing process all the way from capture to the consumer?
Keywords: gear technology, low impact and fuel-efficient fishing, ecosystem impact of fishing, handling of catch and processing, transport, marketing, use of baited traps
Chairs: Dr. Philos Steen Siikavuopio, Nofima, Norway and Dr. Svein Løkkeborg, IMR, Norway
Keynote: Professor Bradley G. Stevens, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, USA
D: Managing shellfish fisheries
Fisheries management defines and enforces the rules of the fishing game. Their objective is to maximize the overall benefit to society – how can that be met? Under climate/environmental change, should receding/declining populations be managed differently than expanding/growing populations? How can fishing communities adapt to changing species availability and levels of resource abundance? How should we handle competition with other fisheries or other industries in the marine environment?
Keywords: management tactics for shellfish in general, harvest control rules, ecosystem approach, trans-border issues, bio-and socio-economics, subsistence fishing, how to manage invasive shellfish, managing of shellfish fisheries in connection with other fisheries or human activities eg. aquaculture
Chair: Professor Alf Håkon Hoel, IMR/UiT, Norway and Adj. Assoc. Professor Poul Degnbol, university of Aalborg, Denmark
Keynote: Director General Vidar Landmark, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Norway, and
Professor Jahn Petter Johnsen, Arctic University of Norway, Norway
E: The grand shellfish discussion session
Conveners pose 5 central questions emerging from the conference to the plenary and lead the discussion.