Report of the Workshop on Advancements in Modelling Physical-Biological Interactions in Fish Early-Life History: Recommended Practices and Future Directions (WKAMF)

The goal of the “Workshop on advancements in modelling physical-biological interactions in fish early-life history: recommended practices and future directions” (WKAMF) was to evaluate the present state and next steps in the developing field of modelling physical-biological interactions in the early-life of fish. The workshop focused on recent advances in coupled biological-physical models that incorporate predictions from three-dimensional circulation models to determine the transit of fish eggs and larvae from spawning to nursery areas. These coupled bio-physical models have been applied to gain new insight on how planktonic dispersal, growth and survival are mediated by physical and biological conditions and have contributed to enhanced understanding of fish population variability and stock structure.
WKAMF was attended by 54 participants from 14 different countries.  The workshop included 23 oral presentations, 16 posters, general discussions, and writing sessions. Invited and contributed presentations, a poster session, and structured discussions occurred on 3–4 April, 2006 to survey recent advances in the field, develop a list of recommended practices, and identify research needs. The final day of the workshop (5 April) was attended by 28 participants and focused on writing sessions devoted to developing teams for international collaborative proposals and a manual of recommended practices.  
The workshop was designed to survey major components of bio-physical models of fish early life, address numerical techniques and validation issues, define recommended modelling practices, and identify future research needs. The workshop focused on aspects of modelling fish early-life history including: initial conditions (egg production, spawning location/time), small-scale processes (turbulence, feeding success), mesoscale transport processes (physics and larval behaviour), and biological processes (development, growth, mortality, juvenile recruitment, metamorphosis, settlement). A range of bio-physical modelling approaches were addressed, including Lagrangian, Eulerian, and Individually Based Models. Workshop results will provide guidance and direction for integration of coupled bio-physical models with observing systems, operational models, monitoring programs, and ultimately to improve fisheries management recommendations. In addition to enhancing the field of physical-biological interactions, this workshop fostered information exchange and supported collaboration between international workshop participants.