Getting Fisheries Off to a Good Start: Why There Is a Need to Address Early Life Processes in Applied Fisheries Management

Significant perturbations affecting fisheries recruitment in aquatic systems may be linked to early life processes that are often overlooked. Many traditional freshwater fish management actions may appear limited to fish stocking and harvest restrictions, but informed decision making requires an understanding of aquatic systems with greater complexity. With growing demands for fresh water and fisheries resources an emphasis that includes critical habitat enhancement or protection and management along with knowledge of system level processes such as nutrient dynamics, hydrology, riparian zones, and species interactions is needed for sustainable natural recruitment. This presentation will examine the interface of early life processes with applied management issues in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and beyond. We will examine pertinent issues spanning from the risk of ignorance of larval fish to advancements that highlight successful integration of early life processes with environmental management.