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Flatfish Biology Conference
Convened by NOAA Fisheries and first held in 1986, the Flatfish Biology Conference provides researchers with an opportunity to present their findings on all aspects of flatfish research.
The Flatfish Biology Conference strives to provide a forum where a diverse community of scientists, researchers, and students come together to present their findings and share knowledge in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Geresa-Leigh Luke and Anne McElroy (Stony Brook University) with their poster.
An LCD projector with an IBM-compatible computer will be available for oral presentations using Powerpoint. Presentations can be loaded from a CD or a USB thumb drive. Speakers are limited to a total of 15 minutes for their presentation and 5 minutes for questions. If using embedded video in your presentation, please test that it runs smoothly prior to speaking at the conference.
Stephen Dwyer (Dominion Energy), Elizabeth Fairchild (University of New Hampshire) and Renee Mercaldo-Allen (NOAA Milford Lab), Co-chairs of the 17th Flatfish Biology Conference.
Please reach out to the Conference co-chairs if you have any questions. Their emails are linked below.
Steve Dwyer, co-chair, Dominion Energy, Millstone Environmental Lab
The genesis of the Flatfish Conferences was a March 1986 memo from Tony Calabrese, then Chief of the Experimental Biology Branch at the National Marine Fisheries Service Milford Laboratory, to Mike Sissenwine, then Chief of the Fisheries Ecology Division and Vaughan Anthony, then Chief of the Conservation and Utilization Division. A number of people in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions had been working on winter flounder at the time, and Tony suggested that NOAA Fisheries host a winter flounder biology workshop. The idea was later discussed among federal and state attendees at an April stock assessment workshop and Tony received positive feedback. The first workshop steering committee was formed, consisting of:
Ann Studholme of the NOAA Fisheries Sandy Hook Laboratory
Arnie Howe of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Eric Smith of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Marine Fisheries
Chris Powell, representing Rhode Island Division Fish and Wildlife
The 1980s
The first conference, devoted solely to winter flounder, was held in early December 1986 in Mystic, Connecticut. Sponsored by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, all aspects of flounder biology were discussed, with the exception of stock assessments covered in other National Marine Fisheries Service meetings. Tony and Alan Peterson, then Director of the Northeast Fisheries Center, introduced the meeting. The workshop started with summary statements whereby participants briefly communicated the status of their winter flounder studies. Following this were more formal presentations of papers and posters. In all, 16 papers and 14 posters were presented.
After a three year break, the meeting resumed on December 5 and 6, 1989. Changes to the steering committee included the addition of Don Danila of Millstone Environmental Laboratory while Penny Howell replaced Eric Smith. Northeast Utilities-Millstone Power Station (now Dominion Energy) and the Electric Power Research Institute joined NEFSC as co-sponsors of this particular meeting. Once again, Science Center Director Alan Peterson gave the opening remarks and welcome. Summary statements by participants again led off the 1989 meeting, followed by an Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission update presented by Penny Howell. Nineteen papers and 14 posters were presented, all devoted to winter flounder. Throughout the years, the number of posters appears to have been limited by the number of easels retained by the Rhode Island Fish & Wildlife Department and kindly supplied by Chris Powell. In addition, the tradition of holding the poster presentations around the hotel pool along with food and drink was established.
The 1990s
The next conference was two years later on December 3 and 4, 1991. Jay Burnett replaced Steve Clark on the steering committee. Robert Murchelano, Chief of the Environmental Processes Division, provided a welcome on behalf of the Science Center. Eighteen papers and three poster presentations were on the agenda.
In 1994, Tony and the conference organizers decided to include biological research devoted to any of the flatfishes. This led to a doubling of the number of papers to 35 along with 13 posters. The geographical extent of the participants also increased. This fourth conference was again introduced by Northeast Fisheries Science Center Director Alan Peterson.
During the first three conferences, most authors and attendees were from the northeast United States along with a few hardy travelers from eastern Canada. Subsequently, we had greater national and international participation. Counting all previous meetings, presenters have come from 22 states and the District of Columbia, eight Canadian provinces, and nine other countries in the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
The flatfish conference maintained its momentum with 28 papers and 10 posters given on December 3 and 4, 1996. In 1998, the conference was held on December 1 and 2 and included 39 papers and 16 posters. Northeast Fisheries Science Center Director Mike Sissenwine convened the conference and welcomed attendees. Some may remember the infamous Best Western construction project rattled eardrums and interrupted the session, but the presentations were moved on the fly from the hotel’s conference room into the restaurant to enable the program to continue.
Because of the success of the flatfish meetings, Tony and many of the steering committee members initiated a one-time conference on biology of tautog and cunner in 1999. Chaired by Eric Schultz of the University of Connecticut, there was a strong response with 24 papers and 10 posters.
The 2000s
2000 saw continued interest in flatfishes with 31 papers and six posters presented. Ann Studholme, Arnie Howe, and Alan Beck left the steering committee after many years of distinguished service and Renee Mercaldo-Allen from Milford Laboratory joined. The Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society also joined as a sponsor with donations used to help lower registration fees of student attendees. The conference has always attracted student participants and we hope to supply a supportive and nurturing environment for many first scientific presentations. John Boreman, Northeast Fisheries Science Center Director, made the opening remarks at this conference and at the subsequent conference in 2002.
In 2002, Mark Dixon from NOAA Milford Laboratory joined the steering committee. He consistently provided support at these conferences, particularly with A/V issues. The conference venue moved from Mystic to Water’s Edge in Westbrook, Connecticut, where it has been held every year since. Renee replaced Tony as steering committee chair. The 2002 meeting was held on December 10 and 11, and 22 papers and 15 posters were presented.
In 2004, Deb Pacileo replaced Penny Howell as the CT DEEP representative and Sandy Sutherland took over for Jay Burnett of NOAA Fisheries Woods Hole Lab. For the first time, the conference abstract booklet was published as a Northeast Fisheries Science Center Reference Document. The meeting went back to a full two day schedule on the first two days of December, with 35 papers and 20 posters. Deputy Director of the Science Center Frank Almeida opened the first session at this and subsequent conferences in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
Tom Munroe joined the steering committee for the 2006 conference. This “20th Anniversary” meeting was held November 29 and 30 with 26 papers and eight posters. A number of participants attended all ten meetings over the past two decades. The steering committee recognized the NOAA Fisheries Milford and J.J. Howard (a.k.a. Sandy Hook) Laboratories for their many contributions over the years. Only a few individuals authored or co-authored papers or posters in all or nearly all of the first ten meetings.
Ken Able won the bronze medal. He was an author or co-author in eight of the 10 conferences held at the time.
Chris Chambers received the silver medal award for presenting at all meetings except 2004.
Larry Renfro of the University of Connecticut won the gold medal by having a paper and/or poster at all ten of the conferences held through 2006.
Larry and Chris were recognized and received a small token of appreciation from the steering committee for supporting this series of meetings.
The 11th conference, held on December 3 and 4, 2008, included 31 talks and 13 posters. Abstracts from the first 10 conferences were published as a NEFSC Reference Document so that the content of these early meetings would be accessible to the wider scientific community. For all conferences after 2008, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center published the program booklet as a reference document.
The 2010s
The Northeast Fisheries Science Center convened the 12th Flatfish Biology Conference on December 1 and 2, 2010, with 38 speakers and 17 poster presentations. The Dominion Millstone Power Station and the Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society continued their long-time sponsorship, encouraging student participation through a reduced registration fee.
The 13th Flatfish Biology Conference was held on December 4 and 5, 2012. Thirty-seven speakers and 20 poster presentations included international participants from China and Norway. Dominion and SNEC-AFS maintained their strong sponsorship of the conference. Russell Brown, Deputy Science and Research Director, represented the Northeast Science Center and gave the opening remarks. Elizabeth Fairchild joined the 10-member steering committee.
The 14th Flatfish Biology Conference held on December 3 and 4, 2014. Twenty-four talks and eight posters were presented. Fred Serchuk, Senior Scientist for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, welcomed attendees to the conference. The steering committee welcomed two new members, Chris Chambers from the James J. Howard Marine Laboratory and Steve Dwyer from Dominion’s Millstone Power Station. Sponsorship from the Dominion Foundation reduced overall conference costs and a donation from the Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society supported student participation. Presentations included international representation from China and The Gambia, West Africa. The conference was dedicated to the memory of long-time participant and contributor Grace Klein-MacPhee.
The 15th Flatfish Biology Conference, celebrating 30 years, was held on December 6 and 7, 2016. The agenda included 26 talks and 10 poster presentations. The conference was supported by long-time sponsor Dominion Foundation, whose kind donation defrayed registration costs. A contribution from the Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries reduced the registration fee for students. The conference welcomed a new sponsor, HDR Engineering, who made a donation in support of the poster session. Don Danila and Ambrose Jearld stepped down from the steering committee and Doug Clarke of HDR joined the 10-member group. Chris Powell, a founding member of the committee, was recognized for 30 years of service to the conference. As Tom Noji, Chief of the Ecosystems and Aquaculture Division, was unable to attend, conference chair Renee Mercaldo-Allen welcomed attendees on behalf of the Science Center.
On December 4 and 5, 2018, the 16th Flatfish Biology Conference featured 26 talks and six poster presentations. Conference costs were defrayed through generous support from Dominion Energy and HDR Engineering. A donation from the Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society enabled students to pay a reduced registration fee. David Davis of HDR Engineering joined the steering committee, replacing Douglas Clarke. Chris Powell, a founding member of the first conference in 1986, retired from the committee after 32 years of service. The conference opened with remarks from Center Director Jon Hare.
The 2020s
After a four-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, flatfish researchers assembled once again at the 17th Flatfish Biology Conference on November 15 and 16, 2022. The conference program of 23 speakers and seven posters included five presenters from Canada and a participant from the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Nicole Cabana, Deputy Director of the NEFSC, gave opening remarks. Tom Munroe made a keynote presentation on “Everything you wanted to know about flatfish but were afraid to ask.” The steering committee awarded Chris Chambers a commemorative hat in recognition of attending all but one of the previous flatfish conferences. Generous donations from Dominion Foundation, HDR Engineering, and the Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society reduced registration fees for participants and students. Larry Alade of the NEFSC and Mary Carla Curran of Savannah State University became new members of the steering committee, replacing Mark Dixon (NEFSC) who continued to support the conference by coordinating the audiovisual equipment. Steve Dwyer of Dominion Energy, Millstone Environmental Laboratory and Elizabeth Fairchild from the University of New Hampshire joined Renee Mercaldo-Allen of the NEFSC’s Milford Laboratory as conference co-chairs. Renee Mercaldo-Allen, who served as the sole chair since 2002, was recognized for her dedication to the Flatfish Biology Conference.
The first three meetings were strictly winter flounder After that the species list grew much longer
We heard about American, European, and Alaska plaice Windowpane, yellowtail, and witch all kept pace
Halibuts from California, Greenland, Atlantic and Pacific Hogchoker, fourspot, and English sole were all terrific
Gulf stream and fringed flounders and bay whiff are all very small Six Paralichthys from Argentina, but only three were valid as I recall
Of tonguefishes the offshore species was mentioned only one time But the more common blackcheek now completes this rhyme
From Alaska came flathead, yellowfin and rock soles Smallmouth and summer flounders each played their roles
Southern and starry flounders - wait I’m not done yet Broad and Gulf flounders, that’s nearly all you’ll get
At least our ichthyologists - Tom Munroe and J. Andrew Cooper Kept names out of their abstracts, for me that was super
Except in this year’s abstracts, for that I am miffed Tom just had to mention anglefin and horned whiffs
I’m finally to the end, ‘though I’m still on a roll My favorite name of them all, the Senegal sole!
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After each survey tow, the net is retrieved and the catch is emptied into a hopper where a series of conveyors move the catch to the sorting and processing area aboard the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. There, scientists sort the catch and collect data and biological samples. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Jessica Blaylock
View over the stern of the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow, exiting the Cape Cod Canal headed east toward Provincetown, Mass. at the beginning of Leg 3 of the 2021 Northeast Fisheries Science Center fall bottom trawl survey. The two bridges spanning the canal are used by trains (background) and vehicle traffic (foreground). Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Katelyn Depot.
