Fish populations are highly influenced by oceanographic factors like temperature, salinity, currents, oxygen and chlorophyll concentrations. While traditional fish stock assessments focus on catch and survey data, incorporating environmental variables can improve the accuracy and adaptability of assessments in a changing climate. Despite growing scientific support, integrating oceanographic data into assessments remains challenging due to communication gaps between disciplines, limited data resolution, and uncertainty about how to effectively use environmental variables in models.
This workshop will explore ways to overcome these barriers and enhance the use of oceanographic data in stock assessments. Key goals include reviewing current practices across ICES regions, identifying best practices and tools for integration, promoting collaboration among oceanographers, fisheries scientists, and modellers, and developing actionable recommendations for future research and data infrastructure.
The workshop will address several core questions:
- How can oceanographic data be valuable for stock assessments?
- What are effective methods for integrating physical and biological models?
- What barriers—technical, institutional, or conceptual—must be addressed?
- How can ICES expert groups support this integration?
By tackling these questions, the workshop aims to advance operational use of oceanographic data in fisheries management.
