Advancing Ecological Understanding and Sustainable Management of Small Pelagic Fish

ABSTRACT Small pelagic fish (SPF) are critical to the trophodynamic structure and function of marine systems and support some of the most valuable and socially important fisheries worldwide. Their “boom and bust” population dynamics, shifts in distribution, and importance as forage resources for other fish stocks place unique challenges to assessing and managing SPF. In response to these challenges, an international working group was formed in 2019 to foster collaboration aimed at closing key knowledge gaps in the ecology and sustainable management of SPF. Here, that group reviews progress made over the last ~10 years and identifies priorities for the next stage of coordinated international collaboration. Key research needs include: (i) enhancing monitoring programs to capture shifts in SPF distribution and incorporating new technologies, from molecular tools and digital imaging to biophysical and ecological modelling, (ii) improving data sharing to better understand life‐history bottlenecks and cross‐regional population dynamics, (iii) advancing process‐based studies on oceanic and trophodynamic interactions to clarify the ecological roles of SPF as both predators and prey, and (iv) conducting bioeconomic and risk analyses to assess the vulnerability of fishing‐dependent human communities to environmental and fish population fluctuations. A key pathway forward involves integrating mechanistic ecological knowledge, ecosystem and bioeconomic modelling, and social‐ecological frameworks into real‐time, adaptive, and equitable management approaches. This integration will be essential for developing resilient, ecosystem‐based fisheries management capable of anticipating tipping points, accommodating non‐stationary population dynamics, and ensuring sustainability under future climate and socio‐economic uncertainties.

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Publication Details

Journal
Fish and Fisheries
Published
2026-04-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70086
Primary Topic
Marine and fisheries research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Advancing Ecological Understanding and Sustainable Management of Small Pelagic Fish

Martin Huret, Rebecca G. Asch, M. R. Baker, Stefan Koenigstein et al.
Fish and Fisheries
Marine and fisheries research
article

Advancing Ecological Understanding and Sustainable Management of Small Pelagic Fish

Martin Huret, Rebecca G. Asch, M. R. Baker, Stefan Koenigstein, Richard D. Brodeur, Salvador E. Lluch‐Cota, Désirée Tommasi, Akinori Takasuka, Noelle M. Bowlin, Christopher N. Rooper, Ignacio A. Catalán, Cecilie Hansen, Francis Juanes, Dongwha Sohn, Motomitsu Takahashi, Ryan R. Rykaczewski, Isaac C. Kaplan, Myron A. Peck, Marta Moyano, Susana Garrido, Jennifer Boldt, Rubén Rodríguez‐Sánchez, Robert P. Wildermuth
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Small pelagic fish (SPF) are critical to the trophodynamic structure and function of marine systems and support some of the most valuable and socially important fisheries worldwide. Their “boom and bust” population dynamics, shifts in distribution, and importance as forage resources for other fish stocks place unique challenges to assessing and managing SPF. In response to these challenges, an international working group was formed in 2019 to foster collaboration aimed at closing key knowledge gaps in the ecology and sustainable management of SPF. Here, that group reviews progress made over the last ~10 years and identifies priorities for the next stage of coordinated international collaboration. Key research needs include: (i) enhancing monitoring programs to capture shifts in SPF distribution and incorporating new technologies, from molecular tools and digital imaging to biophysical and ecological modelling, (ii) improving data sharing to better understand life‐history bottlenecks and cross‐regional population dynamics, (iii) advancing process‐based studies on oceanic and trophodynamic interactions to clarify the ecological roles of SPF as both predators and prey, and (iv) conducting bioeconomic and risk analyses to assess the vulnerability of fishing‐dependent human communities to environmental and fish population fluctuations. A key pathway forward involves integrating mechanistic ecological knowledge, ecosystem and bioeconomic modelling, and social‐ecological frameworks into real‐time, adaptive, and equitable management approaches. This integration will be essential for developing resilient, ecosystem‐based fisheries management capable of anticipating tipping points, accommodating non‐stationary population dynamics, and ensuring sustainability under future climate and socio‐economic uncertainties.

Fish and Fisheries
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (US), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (US), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (CA), Ifremer (FR), University of California, Santa Cruz (US), East Carolina University (US), University of Agder (NO), University of Victoria (CA), Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (DE), Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (NO), Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NO), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (PT), Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NL), North Pacific Research Board (US), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (ES), Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (JP), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (US), Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (ES), L'Institut Agro (FR), Pusan National University (KR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX), The University of Tokyo (JP), Wageningen University & Research (NL)
National Science Foundation, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, North Pacific Research Board, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, National Marine Fisheries Service
Openalex Percentile: Top 18%
Marine and fisheries research
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