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The Path to an Ecosystem Approach for Forage Fish Management: A Case Study of Atlantic Menhaden

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The Path to an Ecosystem Approach for Forage Fish Management: A Case Study of Atlantic Menhaden

DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.607657

Type: Publication

Year: 2021

Citations: 44

AZORES DEEP-SEA RESEARCH
Publication Open access May 2021

The Path to an Ecosystem Approach for Forage Fish Management: A Case Study of Atlantic Menhaden

Frontiers in Marine Science

10.3389/fmars.2021.607657
Open DOI
Total authors
32
Involved team members
1
Citations
44
References
51

Citations by year

6 years
2026
2
2025
10
2024
12
2023
13
2022
6
2021
1

Abstract

Atlantic menhaden ( Brevoortia tyrannus ) support the largest fishery by volume on the United States East Coast, while also playing an important role as a forage species. Managers’ and stakeholders’ increasing concerns about the impact of Atlantic menhaden harvest on ecosystem processes led to an evolution in the assessment and management of this species from a purely single-species approach to an ecosystem approach. The first coastwide stock assessment of Atlantic menhaden for management used a single-species virtual population analysis (VPA). Subsequent assessments used a forward projecting statistical catch-at-age framework that incorporated estimates of predation mortality from a multispecies VPA while analytical efforts continued toward the development of ecosystem models and explicit ecological reference points (ERPs) for Atlantic menhaden. As an interim step while ecosystem models were being developed, a series of ad hoc measures to preserve Atlantic menhaden biomass for predators were used by managers. In August 2020, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission formally adopted an ecological modeling framework as a tool to set reference points and harvest limits for the Atlantic menhaden that considers their role as a forage fish. This is the first example of a quantitative ecosystem approach to setting reference points on the United States Atlantic Coast and it represents a significant advance for forage fish management. This case study reviews the history of Atlantic menhaden stock assessments and management, outlines the progress on the current implementation of ERPs for this species, and highlights future research and management needs to improve and expand ecosystem-based fisheries management.

Authors

1 involved team member
K
Kristen A. Anstead

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Arlington, VA, United States

K
Katie Drew

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Arlington, VA, United States

D
David Chagaris
0000-0002-2656-3122

Nature Coast Biological Station, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States

A
Amy M. Schueller

NOAA Fisheries, Beaufort, NC, United States

J
Jason E. Mcnamee
0000-0002-1442-4432

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Providence, RI, United States

A
Andre Buchheister

Department of Fisheries Biology, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, United States

G
Geneviève Nesslage
0000-0003-1770-6803

Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD, United States

J
Jim H. Uphoff Jr.

Cooperative Oxford Lab, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Oxford, MD, United States

M
Michael J. Wilberg
0000-0001-8982-5946

Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD, United States

A
Alexei Sharov
0000-0001-6873-3962

Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, MD, United States

M
Micah J. Dean
0000-0002-9932-3744

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Gloucester, MA, United States

J
Jeffrey Brust

New Jersey Division of Marine Fisheries, Port Republic, NJ, United States

M
Michael Celestino

New Jersey Division of Marine Fisheries, Port Republic, NJ, United States

S
Shanna Madsen

Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Hampton, VA, United States

S
Sarah Murray
0000-0002-8099-7458

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Arlington, VA, United States

M
Max Appelman
0009-0003-3753-8437

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Arlington, VA, United States

J
Joseph C. Ballenger
0000-0003-4785-4698

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC, United States

E
Ellen Cosby

Potomac River Fisheries Commission, Colonial Beach, VA, United States

C
Caitlin Craig

New York Department of Environmental Conservation, East Setauket, NY, United States

C
Corrin Flora

North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Morehead City, NC, United States

K
Kurt Gottschall

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Old Lyme, CT, United States

R
Robert J. Latour
0000-0002-8644-1733

Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, United States

E
Eddie Leonard

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Brunswick, GA, United States

R
Ray Mroch

NOAA Fisheries, Beaufort, NC, United States

J
Josh Newhard

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Annapolis, MD, United States

D
Derek Orner

NOAA Fisheries, Silver Spring, MD, United States

C
Chris Swanson

Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL, United States

J
Jeff Tinsman

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, Dover, DE, United States

E
Edward D. Houde
0000-0002-1174-0296

Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD, United States

T
Thomas J. Miller
0000-0001-8427-1614

Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD, United States

Record details

Type
article
Language
EN
Volume
8
ISSN
2296-7745

Keywords

Menhaden Fishery Fisheries management Ecosystem Stock assessment Environmental resource management Environmental science Geography Ecology Biology Fishing Fish <Actinopterygii> Fish meal

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União Europeia

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