Námskeiðslýsing

In this course we will cover many of the topics associated with marine fisheries, including why and how we assess fish populations, their habitat associations, life history and population dynamics, and how fisheries are currently moving towards ecosystem-based management. We will review some of the typical benchmarks and reference points used to evaluate stock status, what types of data go into a biological assessment and some of the theory and practice behind the collection those data. We will discuss models for growth, mortality, and population size, and the assumptions and caveats associated with them. We will investigate the importance of essential fish habitat and methods for evaluating biodiversity of fishes in marine ecosystems, as well as simple tools to evaluate food web interactions. Finally, we will touch on how we might assess the efficacy of marine protected areas and concepts related to management in the whole ecosystem, and why this is a direction in which fisheries management may be headed.

Hæfniviðmið

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Collect otoliths and determine the age of fish
• Analyze fishery data to estimate growth rates, mortality rates, and generate population size estimates using standard fisheries techniques
• Explain the purpose of conducting biological assessments of fish populations
• Assess habitat as it relates to managing healthy fisheries
• Apply knowledge of species-specific life history and behavior information to more effectively manage fisheries
• Recognize the specific role that habitat plays in framing life history and the potential impacts that affect fish habitat
• Read and evaluate scientific articles related to fishery biology, and compare different viewpoints relating to fishery biology both orally and in writing
• Apply their knowledge of marine fish ecology and management alternatives through the class project, which will be presented on the final day of the course

Námsmat

There will be no exams. Students will be evaluated for completion of the lab exercises and the final project report and presentation.

Lab and Project Journal 25%
Final Project Report 30%
Final Project Presentation 30%
Peer-review of Presentation 15%

Kennari

Dr. Selina S. Heppell
I devote most of my research to some of the oldest and slowest-growing animals in the sea: sea turtles, sharks, sturgeon, and U.S. west coast rockfish (scientifically known as Sebastes, which means "magnificent"). These marine animals commonly share three traits: long lifespans, late age at maturity, and threats from overharvest. I primarily use computer models and simulations to help us understand how populations respond to human impacts and to guide research and management policy towards their recovery. I am particularly interested in how these animals will respond to climate change and increasing human populations on our coastlines, and in finding ways to protect species and habitats while supporting local fisheries. My current teaching at Oregon State University includes courses on Marine Conservation Biology, Introduction to Population Dynamics, and Ecology and Management of Marine Fishes. I am Chair of the Ecosystem Management Subcommittee for the Science and Statistical Committee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council, a member of the Science and Technical Advisory Committee for Oregon's Ocean Policy Advisory Council, and a member of the Marine Turtle Specialists Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Dr. Scott Heppell
My research interests are the physiological ecology of fishes, in particular how physiology, behavior, and life history traits affect the interactions between fish populations and their respective fisheries. I have worked on bluefin tuna on the Atlantic high seas, Mediterranean, and east coast of the United States, on groupers throughout the southeast Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, on rockfish in Oregon and Alaska, and on trout, steelhead, and salmon in Japan and the high deserts of eastern Oregon and Northern Nevada. I collaborate with academic scientists, state and federal agencies, foreign agencies and universities, and commercial and recreational fishermen, working together to try and address issues related to the sustainability of marine and freshwater resources and their ecosystems. At Oregon State University I teach classes in fish physiology, fishery biology, and management of salmon in the Pacific Northwest, and each year Selina and I teach an international short course in Conservation Biology in Rovinj, Croatia.

Gestafyrirlesari

Ítarefni