2006 Alaska Ecosystem Considerations
June 10, 2006
The purpose of the first section, Ecosystem Assessment, is to summarize historical climate and fishing effects on the eastern Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska ecosystems using information from the other two sections and stock assessment reports. In future drafts, the Ecosystem Assessment section will also provide an assessment of the possible future effects of climate and fishing on ecosystem structure and function.
The purpose of the second section, Ecosystem Status Indicators, is to provide new information and updates on the status and trends of ecosystem components to stock assessment scientists, fishery managers, and the public. The goals are to provide stronger links between ecosystem research and fishery management and to spur new understanding of the connections between ecosystem components by bringing together many diverse research efforts into one document.