Growth Workshop Announcement

Growth: theory, estimation, and application in fishery stock assessment models

The Center for the Advancement of Population Assessment Methodology (CAPAM) will host a technical workshop on Growth: theory, estimation, and application in fishery stock assessment models in La Jolla, CA, USA from November 3-7, 2014.

The growth workshop is the second in a series organized by CAPAM as part of its Good Practices in Stock Assessment Modeling Program for improving fishery stock assessments. CAPAM is a collaborative effort between the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), and Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) for purposes of conducting both research and education activities to address modern stock assessment modeling issues. The workshop is sponsored by NOAA, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, and CAPAM.

The primary goal of the workshop is to provide advice and guidance on practices for modeling growth in fishery assessments. The focus is on model specification, parameter estimation, and management consequences, and will not cover growth estimates for specific species. The 5-day forum will include an interactive modeling session, keynote and research presentations, and focused discussions. Major growth topics (and invited speakers) include:
 
  • Biological processes/ontogenetic development of aquatic animals targeted by fisheries, including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks (Kai Lorenzen).
  • Specification and estimation: growth determination from direct ageing methods as used in age-structured models (Chris Francis).
  • Specification and estimation: growth determination from size increment data as used in size-structured models (Andre Punt).
  • Spatial/temporal variation (Steve Martell).
  • Modeling growth in stock assessments using the Stock Synthesis modeling framework (Ian Taylor). A half-day session held on Monday (November 3rd) afternoon.
  • Modeling growth in tuna stock assessments (Dale Kolody). A half-day session held on Friday (November 7th) morning.
 
Scientists are encouraged to present work from both ongoing research efforts, as well as completed studies. Attendees who plan to present research need to submit a presentation title and abstract (one-page maximum) by October 7, 2014 (earlier submission is encouraged). A special issue in the journal Fisheries Research is planned for papers developed from the workshop. Presentations will have a 20-minute maximum and 10-minute question period. For general information concerning the overall workshop, please contact CAPAM staff (SWFSC.CAPAM@noaa.gov), and also visit the CAPAM website (www.CAPAMresearch.org) for updated information.
 
Location: NOAA/NMFS, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA