OUR MISSION

The Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force (Task Force) was established to develop a more holistic, ecosystem-based approach to the management of forage fish, which play an integral role in marine food webs. In their role as prey, forage fish provide the underpinnings for many species of wildlife in our oceans and estuaries. A primary challenge for fisheries managers and policymakers is to determine a level of catch that accounts for the important ecological role that forage fish play in the larger marine environment. The Task Force was created to address this challenge and develop science-based recommendations for the management of forage fish.

Some critical questions the Task Force examined include:

• How do forage fish interact with other species, and respond to environmental conditions?
• What is the impact of forage fish removals on predator species who feed on them? How can quantitative models be used to inform an ecosystem-based management approach?
• How much are forage fish worth economically as “support” to other fisheries?
• What tools are most effective for a managing forage fish?
• What steps can managers take if they lack important scientific data on forage fish populations or their dependent predators?

The Task Force has prepared an in-depth report that addresses these topics and presents its key findings and recommendations. The report will be released in April 2012.

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