Ecosystem Modeling: Joint Modeling of Human Behavior and Fish Populations; Ecosystem Models to Address Fishery Management Needs

Humans and fish stocks are parts of large and complex socioeconomic-ecological systems.  Natural resource management decision-making relies heavily on modeling to simplify complex dynamics in these systems.  This symposium features two sessions exploring the modeling of human interactions within ecosystems and the needs of decision-makers as they work toward ecosystem-based fishery management.

The morning session, Joint Modeling of Human Behavior and Fish Populations, focuses on modeling fisher behavior in ways that can joined with ecological models. Analyses using fishery models often recommend harvest policies in terms of biological units (e.g. fishing mortality rate), but offer little guidance on providing incentives that alter human behavior to achieve these targets. Modeling incentives and human behavior must allow for the individual ability to substitute among effort levels, gear choices, locations, etc., all of which may affect stock dynamics. Therefore, a policy in one ecological state may elicit different human behavioral responses under different ecological conditions.  In this session, researchers will share models of human behavior in fisheries and links to fish populations. Speakers include population biologists, economists, and human dimensions researchers focusing on commercial and recreational fisheries.

The afternoon session, Ecosystem Models to Address Fishery Management Needs, explores ecosystem information needed in management decisions and how to include it in models intended to support management processes.  Ecosystem modeling should both help managers understand the dynamics of the resources they manage and identify ecosystem research priorities.  To be successful, however, clear, effective, and iterative communication must occur between resource managers and ecosystem modelers.  Speakers include ecosystem models and fishery managers.

This symposium brings together population biologists, economists, human dimensions researchers, fishery managers, and ecosystem modelers to discuss the ecosystem information managers want and need, and what information modelers of various kinds are currently providing for managers across the US and abroad.