Advancing Ecological Understanding and Sustainable Management of Small Pelagic Fish Fish and Fisheries

Small pelagic fish (SPF) are critical to the trophodynamic structure and function of marine systems and support some of the most valuable and socially important fisheries worldwide. Their “boom and bust” population dynamics, shifts in distribution, and importance as forage resources for other fish stocks place unique challenges to assessing and managing SPF. In response to these challenges, an international working group was formed in 2019 to foster collaboration aimed at closing key knowledge gaps in the ecology and sustainable management of SPF. Here, that group reviews progress made over the last ~10 years and identifies priorities for the next stage of coordinated international collaboration. Key research needs include: (i) enhancing monitoring programs to capture shifts in SPF distribution and incorporating new technologies, from molecular tools and digital imaging to biophysical and ecological modelling, (ii) improving data sharing to better understand life‐history bottlenecks and cross‐regional population dynamics, (iii) advancing process‐based studies on oceanic and trophodynamic interactions to clarify the ecological roles of SPF as both predators and prey, and (iv) conducting bioeconomic and risk analyses to assess the vulnerability of fishing‐dependent human communities to environmental and fish population fluctuations. A key pathway forward involves integrating mechanistic ecological knowledge, ecosystem and bioeconomic modelling, and social‐ecological frameworks into real‐time, adaptive, and equitable management approaches. This integration will be essential for developing resilient, ecosystem‐based fisheries management capable of anticipating tipping points, accommodating non‐stationary population dynamics, and ensuring sustainability under future climate and socio‐economic uncertainties.