Námskeiðslýsing

In this course we will cover many of the topics associated with marine fisheries ecology, 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 cover some of the data types that go into a biological assessment and some of the theory and practice behind the collection these 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 discuss some of the strategies for the management of fish populations, both commercial and recreational. We will discuss life history and evolution as it pertains to fisheries, concepts of biodiversity, and trophic interactions. Finally, we will also discuss 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.

Part of the class will involve students working on spreadsheet models to analyze data and associated with assessing fish stocks and modeling ecological concepts. These are basic models; the models actually used for most stock assessments and ecology are substantially more complex, often incorporating such auxiliary data as independent survey results, fishing fleet dynamics, feeding ecology, fishing effort, gear types, economic factors, etc.
At the end of the course, students will have knowledge fish biology relevant to management, concepts of data collection and population assessment, habitat identification and assessment, and management strategies used to create sustainable fisheries.

Hæfniviðmið

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

• Understand and describe the ecological processes that influence marine fish recruitment and population dynamics
• Critically evaluate and discuss primary literature papers on ecology and marine finfish resource management
• Recognize and evaluate the validity of different viewpoints with regard to how ecological processes should be considered in fisheries management
• 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 b evaluated for participation in discussion, completion of the lab exercises, and the final project report and presentation.

Kennari

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.

 

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.

Gestafyrirlesari

Ítarefni