Role of early life history events on recruitment dynamics 



The general objective is to provide a better understanding of the relative importance of physical and biological factors in driving fluctuations in the abundance of marine fish populations.



It is generally accepted that the relative success of a cohort is determined by mortality rates experienced during early life stages. Understanding the impact of environmental variability on larval feeding success, growth and survival is thus essential for a better understanding of recruitment dynamics and fluctuations in the abundance of populations. This research aims to enhance knowledge of key early life processes, which will in turn inform management of fisheries resources and marine ecosystems.

 

My research has primarily focused on topics such as (1) the role of prey selectivity in larval fish trophodynamics; (2) the functional relationships linking prey availability to larval feeding, growth and survival; (3) the role of growth-selective processes in driving larval fish survival; and (4) the environmental drivers of pelagic fish population dynamics in Arctic marine ecosystems.​

 

Several ongoing and recently-completed projects are targeted at identifying mechanisms that impact early growth and survival of key pelagic and demersal fish in the Northwest Atlantic such as capelin (Violaine Shikon), herring (Carissa Wilson), striped bass (Henrique Peres) mackerel (Safouane Khamassi), sand lance (Pauline Fortin and Valérie de Carufel) and redfish (Corinne Burns). Results are presented at stock assessment meetings and the ultimate goal is to improve the assessment process for these stocks.