143rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society

September 08 - 14, 2013

Collectively, centrarchid fishes constitute a large portion of ecologically and recreationally important species throughout North America.  Although centrarchids are native to eastern North America, certain species (e.g., largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and bluegill) have been widely introduced at a continental and, in some cases, global scale to provide sport fishing opportunities.  The large diversity of centrarchid fishes, combined with their widespread popularity among anglers and ecological importance in many lentic and lotic systems, has resulted in a rich history of basic and applied research.  Additionally, there has been a large resurgence of research focusing on the conservation status, reproductive and behavioral ecology, early life history and recruitment, interspecific interactions, management, and anthropogenic influences on population dynamics of centrarchid fishes.  The ultimate goal of this symposium is to provide a comprehensive view of recent advancements in the conservation, ecology, and management of centrarchid fishes.  Bringing researchers together from various arenas will aid in identifying commonalities and remaining uncertainties that may further stimulate meta-analyses.  We will solicit contributions from representatives of academia, state and federal government, and the private sector, but appropriate non-invited contributions from the general abstract submission site are also encouraged.  Because of the broad nature of this symposium, sub-symposia are possible pending a suitable number of contributions.