San Francisco Estuary: A Dynamic Confluence of Fisheries, Policy, and Resource Management

Over the past several decades the ecosystems of the San Francisco estuary and watershed have undergone a substantial series of changes, resulting in the collapse of the pelagic fish and invertebrate communities of the estuary and marked declines in migratory fishes such as salmon, sturgeon, and steelhead trout.  Efforts to protect declining fish populations have conflicted with increasing demand for freshwater and other ecosystem services such as waste disposal.  This conflict has led to a resource management crisis of national significance because the watershed provides the primary water supply for 25 million California residents and supports a multi-billion dollar agricultural industry.  This symposium will introduce the major issues and present the latest research addressing the causes of the fisheries problems in the upper San Francisco estuary, where the changes in the ecosystem, particularly declines in pelagic organisms, have been most severe.  The presentations will emphasize work conducted as part of an integrated research program over the past five years.  The goal of the symposium is to educate a broad audience about fisheries issues in the region, present the results from recent studies, and synthesize the results.  The symposium will be of interest to a wide range of professionals dealing with complex and contentious aquatic resource issues.