Understanding drivers of fish stock recruitment to improve fisheries management

The objective of this project is to shed new light on the regulation of fish stock dynamics by revealing the drivers of growth and survival during early life. Otoliths, which consist of small concretions found in the inner ear of fish, will be used to estimate daily growth history, considered a key indicator of survival potential in fish larvae. This project, conducted at the University of Tokyo on three abundant Japanese clupeiform species (anchovy, sardine and round herring) used as models, will allow us to identify potential drivers of early life survival of clupeiform species worldwide, including key Atlantic herring stocks in Canada. These stocks include the one occurring in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is now facing a concerning decline and requires an improved management strategy. Overall, this project will allow us to determine to what extent the growth-survival relationship and the recruitment potential vary in space and time, which will facilitate the development of improved management strategies for Atlantic herring and other important fishery resources in Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dominique Robert

Student:

Partner:

The University of Tokyo

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

Université du Québec à Rimouski

Program: