Forage fish are a particular category of fishes bound together more by the ecological role than by their taxonomy or habitat occupancy.  They are small, abundant, schooling fishes (e.g., menhaden, anchovy, herring) that constitute a large fraction of diets in marine predators such as groundfish, striped bass, marine mammals, seabirds, etc.

Extensive fisheries have developed on both the East and West coasts of North America (as well as internationally) for forage fish, and constitute a large percentage of the national landings.  This has generated concern not only for the forage species involved, but for all higher trophic level organisms that consume them.

Fundamental for Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management is the need for population data, trends and models focused on forage species and their multiple species interactions and stressors, but this information is uncertain in many instances. 

The ultimate goal of the symposium is to review and discuss recent advancements in research, conservation, and management efforts towards forage fish which will enable AFS members to quantify the links between forage fish and other components of the ecosystem (from plankton to top predators and humans).  By AFS members exchanging information on how to describe and model the ecosystem-based consequences of different management options, the symposium will advance the knowledge needed to address which tools exist or need to be developed for management to assess economic and ecological changes in a meaningful manner.  A full-day symposium is envisioned.