144th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society

August 17 - 21, 2014

The ecosystem of the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence is of great economic importance for the regions bordering it and the maritime communities that depend on it. The St. Lawrence harbours many fish, mollusc, crustacean, marine mammal and alga species. Several of these are harvested by the commercial fisheries or farmed at aquaculture sites, while an entire tourism industry focussing on marine mammals has developed. The various users of these resources must contend with numerous environmental and ecosystemic challenges, including climate change, species at risk, and the creation of marine protected areas. Utilization of the St. Lawrence also gives rise to user conflicts and concerns of an economic nature. Indeed, the uncertainty of market conditions, high operating costs in the fisheries, and product marketing constitute major challenges. This symposium seeks to draw a portrait of the current situation of the St. Lawrence and to present various solutions that have been put forward in recent years to manage, utilize, and protect this ecosystem, particularly in the fisheries sector. Representatives from the industry, First Nations, the scientific community and governments will present a status report on the St. Lawrence environment, research results, innovations and group initiatives offering sustainable options for utilizing its fishery resources. Participants can learn about the St. Lawrence through these speakers, who certainly have their own vision of the ecosystem and who work together to ensure sustainability. This bilingual symposium is an opportunity to introduce AFS members to the St. Lawrence, which is an eloquent example of an environment where it is crucial to think and act both locally and globally to address the existing and future challenges.