Program and Abstracts from the 2018 Atlantic Salmon Ecosystems Forum

The biennial Atlantic Salmon Ecosystems Forum (ASEF) was held January 17-18, 2018 at the University of Maine in Orono, ME, marking the 9th meeting since 1990. Over 200 individuals from over 50 different organizations attended the meeting. A diverse combination of students, scientists, managers, conservationists, restoration professionals and stakeholders from tribal, state and federal governments, nongovernmental organizations, universities, consulting firms or industry, and the general public participated. The goal of this two-day meeting was to facilitate an information exchange and discussion of emerging issues pertaining to the science, management, conservation, and of restoration Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and other native diadromous species and their ecosystems from New England, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, to the distant waters of Greenland. The conveners of the Salmon Forum had asked participants to consider one simple question: “Are we moving the needle?” This unifying theme emphasized the need for a critical examination of metrics used as indicators of diadromous species conservation, restoration, and recovery to evaluate if goals are being achieved.