Cephalopod population dynamics, environmental effects, stock assessment and management

CRESPI ABRIL, AUGUSTO CÉSAR

Workshop; Cephalopod International Advisory Council Symposium (CIAC 2012); 2012

As the prototypical semelparous organisms, most coleoid cephalopods experience both the advantages and hazards of a short life cycle with a single reproductive event at the end. To offset the risk of recruitment failure, cephalopods have evolved adaptations such as internal fertilization, encapsulated eggs and direct development. Therefore, much of cephalopod population dynamics and stock sizes available for fished species are driven by environmental variability. Comprehensive research on population dynamics, stock assessment and proper management needs to take into account the environmental variability acting on both the spawning stock and early life stages. Bearing this in mind, the aims of this workshop are: (1) to review available knowledge on cephalopod population dynamics; (2) to update attendees on the most suitable, state-of-the-art study techniques; (3) to summarize current knowledge and identify gaps and research needs; Those goals will be reached through open discussions and presentations of key issues and reviews. A list of key issues will be provided in due time, and attendees are encouraged to suggest relevant topics for inclusion in this list at any time. All participants (including students) are invited to present their latest research and/or a comprehensive review within their area of expertise. Workshop product: workshop outputs would be synthetized in a comprehensive review paper to be published in the Proceedings of the Symposium or submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.