• PICES Acronym: WG53
• ICES Acronym: WGSPF
• Parent Committees: BIO, FIS, HD
  
• Term: June 2024 – PICES-2027
• Co-Chair: Dr. Chris Rooper <chris.rooper@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>
  Co-Chair: Dr. Motomitsu Takahashi <takahashi_motomitsu30@fra.go.jp>
• ICES Co-Chair: Rebecca Asch (ICES/USA) <aschr16@ecu.edu>
  ICES Co-Chair: Susana Garrido (ICES/Portugal) <susana.garrido@ipma.pt>
• PICES Mailing List
• WGSPF ICES webpage
  https://www.ices.dk/community/groups/Pages/WGSPF.aspx
  
  WGSPF Share Point
  http://community.ices.dk/ExpertGroups/WGSPF/SitePages/HomePage.aspx

Forage species are critical ecosystem components, occupying mid-trophic levels with the potential to impact most commercially important piscivorous fish species, marine birds and mammals. Additionally, directed commercial fishing on forage species accounts for more than 30% by weight of the total landings of fisheries globally. These landings are used both for human consumption and as protein for aquaculture and agriculture operations around the world. Many forage species are also culturally important and support local and indigenous communities.

Examples of forage species and community members to be considered by the working group include small, schooling, low- or mid-trophic level, pelagic fishes that are planktivorous throughout their life history (e.g., herring, anchovy, sardine), mesopelagic fishes (e.g., myctophids), euphausiids, and squids. Forage species are difficult to manage sustainably. Historical populations have often oscillated through “boom and bust” cyclical dynamics attributed to both bottom-up processes (e.g., regime shifts or changes in marine productivity due to climate variability) that are amplified by top-down impacts (e.g., natural mortality due to increasing predators or overfishing). As a group, forage taxa have relatively short life spans, potential for high recruitment, depensatory mortality, and density-dependent dynamics, are sensitive to both climatic and anthropogenic impacts and may exhibit rapid responses to changing conditions. Climatic and anthropogenic impacts are likely to change marine and estuarine systems and their forage communities in unanticipated ways, which will require adaptive and flexible management systems to maintain both sustainable fisheries and the ecosystem services that forage species provide.

From 2019-2023, a joint ICES-PICES working group on Small Pelagic Fish (WGSPF/WG 43) focused on establishing a multidisciplinary and global community of researchers to compare and contrast ecosystem-level approaches to determining the cause of fluctuations in populations of forage species and synthesize mechanisms linking climate and ecosystem variability and the population dynamics. The Working Group then connected these dynamics to socio-ecological systems and best practices in ecosystem-based fisheries management. These efforts culminated in an international symposium on “Small Pelagic Fish: New Frontiers in Science and Sustainable Management” (November 7–11, 2022, Lisbon, Portugal), two peer-reviewed publications (a Theme Section in Marine Ecology Progress Series (July 30, 2024, Vol. 741, pp. 1–330) and a Special Issue in Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (August 2024, Vol. 81, No. 8, pp. 984–1173), containing 28 original research papers, and a perspectives manuscript “Advancing ecological understanding and sustainable management of small pelagic fish” submitted to Fish and Fisheries.

The synthesis of the WGSPF/WG 43 noted several areas of emerging technologies and methods that can be used to better manage and adapt to changing forage dynamics. These include innovative technologies such as genetics, acoustics, underwater imagery, predator-inferred distributions, and isotopes, as well as novel and emerging analysis techniques such as artificial intelligence, management strategy evaluation, social network modeling, and simulation testing methods. In particular, international collaboration on the development of novel technologies to survey and monitor forage fish populations, simulation testing of management in the face of climate changes, and inclusion of climate and other anthropogenic drivers into management would be useful on a global scale to develop strategies that could lead to robust and sustainable ecosystem approaches to management of forage species. The new joint ICES-PICES working group on Sustainable Pelagic Forage Communities will build on and expand the work of WG43 by addressing the terms of reference listed in the next section.

1. Foster international and interdisciplinary collaboration to establish similar study frameworks and comparative analyses of forage species, their ecology, and fisheries.
2. Assess recent progress on understanding fluctuations of forage species (abundance, distribution, diversity, and characteristics) and their impacts on the structure and function of ecosystems, particularly upper trophic levels including marine birds and mammals.
3. Identify, prioritize, and recommend research most needed to advance our knowledge and capacity to forecast ecosystem responses to changes in forage species.
4. Recommend strategies for studying and monitoring socio-ecological systems to improve ecosystem-based management for the sustainable harvest of forage species.
5. Describe how climate change and other anthropogenic factors impact forage species and examine how these factors will affect economies, nutrition of human communities, aquaculture, fishery portfolios, and/or transboundary management among countries with different levels of development in fisheries, and recommend options for adaptation.
6. Organize a joint ICES/PICES/FAO symposium on forage species that builds upon the Small Pelagic Fish symposia held in 2017 (March 6–11, 2017, Victoria, Canada) and 2022 (November 7–11, 2022, Lisbon, Portugal). The symposium, tentatively scheduled for 2026, will showcase integrative analyses of this Working Group. Working Group members will also propose and convene topic sessions and/or workshops at the PICES Annual Meetings and ICES Annual Science Conferences, as well as at FAO-sponsored meetings focused on key questions and recent advances in the dynamics of forage species in ecosystems and the impact of forage species on higher trophic levels.
7. Complete the required PICES Scientific Report at the conclusion of the Working Group to summarize and disseminate the findings.

Forage species and communities typically exhibit high variability, part of which is associated with drivers such as climate change, changing ecosystem structure, and fishing pressure. To understand their dynamics, a whole-ecosystem approach is required that includes knowledge about oceanography, biological and human interactions.

The activities of the joint working group will contribute primarily to the first three of the six goals identified in the PICES Strategic Plan: (1) Foster collaboration among scientists within PICES and with other multinational organizations; (2) Understand the status and trends, vulnerability, and resilience of marine ecosystems; and (3) Understand and quantify how marine ecosystems respond to natural forcing and human activities. Goals 2 and 3 are similar to the two research themes in the PICES FUTURE (Forecasting and Understanding Trends, Uncertainty and Responses of North Pacific Marine Ecosystems) integrative scientific program.

The activities of this joint Working Group also align with at least five of the seven science priorities set in the ICES Strategic Plan, including: (1) Ecosystem science, (2) Impacts of human activities, (3) Observation and exploration, (4) Seafood production and (5) Conservation and management science.

• PICES Working Group 3 on Dynamics of Small Pelagics in Coastal Ecosystems (WG-3, 1992–1995)
• ICES Working Group on Cephalopod Fisheries and Life History (WGCEPH, 1994–now)
• PICES Working Group 14 on Micronekton of the North Pacific (WG-14, 1997–2004)
• PICES Working Group 23 on Comparative Ecology of Krill in Coastal and Oceanic Waters around the Pacific Rim (WG-23, 2007–2011)
• PICES Section/ICES Strategic Initiative on Climate Change Effects on Marine Ecosystems (S-CCME, 2011–now)
• ICES/PICES Symposium on “Forage Fish Interactions: Creating the Tools for Ecosystem-based Management of Marine Resources” (Symposium, Nantes, France, November 12–14, 2012)
• PICES/ICES Symposium on “Drivers of Dynamics of Small Pelagic Fish Resources” (Symposium, Victoria, Canada, March 6–11, 2017)
• PICES/ICES Working Group 43 on Small Pelagic Fish (WG-43, 2019–2023)
• PICES/ICES Symposium on “Small Pelagic Fish: New Frontiers in Science and Sustainable Management” (Symposium, Lisbon, Portugal, November 7–11, 2022)

• GLOBEC Regional Program on Small Pelagic Fish and Climate Change (SPACC, 1994–2009)
• FAO General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM): Working Group on Stock Assessment of Small Pelagic Species
• North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC): Technical Working Group on Pacific Saury Stock Assessment (TWG PSSA) and Technical Working Group on Chub Mackerel Stock Assessment (TWG CMSA)
• The mandate of this joint ICES/PICES activity is relevant to the objectives of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (e.g., Challenge 2 – Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity, Challenge 3 – Sustainably feed the global population, and Challenge 4 – Develop a sustainable and equitable ocean economy) and UN Strategic Development Goals (e.g., SDG 2 – Zero Hunger, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 14 – Life Below Water)

A tentative timeline for deliverables is outlined below.

Year 1

• To foster collaboration among the international, scientific and fisheries management community around forage species research (TOR#1). Task Forces and Activities that were generated by WG43 will be reviewed and adjusted to best meet the TORs for WG53.
• Convene a one-day topic session titled: “Advances in observational, analytical, and modeling tools that lead to better observations and improved understanding of small pelagic fish” at the 2024 PICES Annual Meeting in Honolulu, USA (TOR#3).
• Hold at least one in-person or hybrid meeting during Year 1 (TOR#1).

Year 2

• A series of manuscripts synthesizing existing knowledge on (1) spatial variability across life history stages of forage species, (2) best practices for coupling spatial distribution models with ecosystem models, (3) fleet and management response to spatiotemporal variability of forage species, and related socio-economic impacts, (4) inter- and intra-specific responses to environmental drivers, and (5) cross-system comparisons of internal and external forcing regulating growth is expected to be submitted to peer-reviewed journals (TOR#2). Targeted journals for these manuscript(s) include Fish and Fisheries, Advances in Marine Biology, Marine Ecology Progress Series or ICES Journal of Marine Science.
• Convene a joint ICES/PICES/FAO symposium on forage species that builds upon the 2017 and 2022 Small Pelagic Fish symposia. This symposium is tentatively scheduled for the spring 2026 in La Paz, Mexico (TOR#6).
• Propose and convene topic sessions at the PICES Annual Meeting and ICES Annual Science Conferences, as well as at FAO-sponsored meetings focused on key questions and recent advances in the dynamics of forage species in ecosystems and the impact of forage species on higher trophic levels (TOR#1, TOR#2, and TOR#3).
• Hold at least one in person or hybrid meeting during Year 2 (TOR#1).

Year 3

• Generate a manuscript (or a series of manuscripts) that synthesizes key research gaps and questions that are needed to forecast ecosystem responses to changes in forage communities (TOR#3) and recommend approaches that will be robust to climate change and other anthropogenic factors (TOR#5) to improve ecosystem-based management of forage species (TOR#4).
• Publish studies emerging from the 2026 international symposium in special issues of scientific journals, with potential venues including Marine Ecology Progress Series and Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. The timeline for completion of these volumes is tentatively 1–1.5 years following the symposium. These issues may also be a suitable place for publication of synthesis manuscript(s) highlighted in TOR#3, TOR#4, and TOR#5.
• Hold at least one in person or hybrid meeting during Year 3 (TOR#1) and complete the required PICES Scientific Report (TOR#7).

Eleven Activities have been identified by the WG to deal with in order to address the range of ecological, management, and socioeconomic questions concerning forage fishes stocks worldwide. Within each Activity, WG members will collaborate on a specific topic designed and championed by group members. Each topic is expected to use a comparative approach across systems and/or species.

Please inform the Activity Leaders and WG Co-Chairs which activity or activities you are interested to join and feel free to recommend additional people. You will then be part of the conversation to define specific topics.

Activity 1: Spatiotemporal processes affecting life history
Leaders: Rebecca Asch (USA), Brad Erisman (USA), Daniela Silva (Portugal) Email

Activity 2: Food-web dynamics
Leaders: Susana Garrido (Portugal) and Brian Hunt (Canada) Email

Activity 3: Drivers of growth, reproduction and survival
Leaders: Florian Berg (Norway), Martin Huret (France), Martin Lindegren (Denmark), Motomitsu Takahashi (Japan) Email

Activity 4: Distribution, migration and connectivity
Leaders: Naiara Rodriguez-Ezpeleta (Spain), Tatsuya Sakamoto (Japan) Email

Activity 5: Non-climatic and non-fisheries anthropogenic impacts
Leaders: Francis Juanes (Canada), Henn Ojaveer (Estonia), Patrick Polte (Germany), Email

Activity 6: Forage beyond boundary currents
Leader: Ryan Rykaczewski (USA) Email

Activity 7: Advanced technologies and methodologies for assessing small pelagic communities
Leaders: Maria Manuel Angélico (Portugal), Dave McGowan (USA), Chris Rooper (Canada) Email

Activity 8: Short-term forecasts and long-term projections
Leaders: Stefan Koenigstein (Germany), Robert Wildermuth (USA) Email

Activity 9: Improving management with actionable science
Leaders: Kym Jacobson (USA), Peng Sun (PR China), Robert Wildermuth (USA) Email

Activity 10: Social-ecological analysis
Leaders: Isaac Kaplan (USA), Mary Gasalla (Brazil), Nadine Heck (USA), Peng Sun (PR China) Email

Activity 11: Small pelagic fish in 2050
Leaders: Shin-ichi Ito (Japan) Myron Peck (The Netherlands) Email

• May 9–10, 2026, La Paz, Mexico
  WG53/WGSPF business meeting in conjunction with SPF-2026
  
  
• May 4–8, 2026, La Paz, Mexico
  PICES/ICES/FAO International Symposium on Navigating Changes in Small Pelagic Fish and Forage Communities: Climate, Ecosystems, and Sustainable Fisheries (SPF-2026)
  
  
• November 12 (14:00–18:00), 2025, Yokohama, Japan
  Joint PICES/ICES Topic Session (S4) on Responses of small pelagic fish communities to recent climate regime shifts and climate extremes at PICES-2025
  
  
• November 11 (14:00–18:00), 2025, Yokohama, Japan
  Topic Session (S12) on Understanding the linkages between forage species and top predators and how they may affect resilience in North Pacific ecosystems at PICES-2025
  
  
• November 11 and 13 (18:00–20:30), 2025, Yokohama, Japan
  WG53/WGSPF business meeting in conjunction with PICES-2025
  
  
• February 25–27, 2025, Lisbon, Portugal
  WG53/WGSPF business meeting
  Objectives: (1) to develop the working group structure and projects and (2) to discuss the program and logistics of the PICES/ICES/FAO International Symposium on Navigating Changes in Small Pelagic Fish and Forage Communities: Climate, Ecosystems, and Sustainable Fisheries (May 4–8, 2026, La Paz, Mexico)
  Agenda, Photos (Group Photo, WG53/WGSPF Co-Chairs, SPF-2026 Convenors and Coordinators)
  
  
• October 30, 2024, Honolulu, USA
  Topic Session (S3) on Advanced tools to monitor, observe, and assess small pelagic fish populations in support of ecosystem based fisheries management and maintaining ecosystem services at PICES-2024
  PICES-2024 Program, S3
  PICES-2024 Book of Abstracts, S3
  PICES-2024, S3 summary
  
  
• October 25, 2024, Honolulu, USA
  WG53/WGSPF business meeting in conjunction with PICES-2024
  Objectives: (1) to review WG terms of reference (TOR) and deliverables, (2) to introduce history of WG and previous symposia, and (3) to discuss previous and ongoing activities and new ideas for activities that meet the TOR
  Agenda, Group Photo
  Presentations
  • Chris Rooper (PICES Co-Chair; DFO, Canada)
    WGSPF Terms of Reference and Deliverable
  • Ryan Rykaczewski (PIFSC, NOAA Fisheries, USA)
    WGSPF Historical Background
  • Rebecca Asch (ICES Co-Chair; ECU, USA)
    Past and Planned WGSPF Activities
  Interim WGSPF e-evaluation
  Meeting draft notes
  
  
• September 30, 2024 (in Eastern Pacific time zones)/October 1, 2024 (in Western Pacific time zones)
  WG53 virtual business meeting
  Agenda, Group Photo
  WG53 Report to Science Board
  
  
• July 15, 2024 (in Eastern Pacific time zones)/July 16, 2024 (in Western Pacific time zones)
  WG53/WGSPF virtual leadership meeting
  Agenda