The 6th International Conference and Workshop on Lobster Biology and Management: an Introduction

Abstract

Every three years or so, the International Conference and Workshop on Lobster Biology and Management (ICWL) brings together lobster scientists, fishery managers, and industry representatives from around the world for a week of scientific presentations, workshops, and discussions on lobster biology and management. The first ICWL was held in Perth, Australia, in January 1977. Its purpose was to bring together a small group of lobster researchers from the USA and Australia to discuss common issues and themes. That initial workshop spawned a continuing series of meetings that have become the international lobster conference for scientists—the equivalent of an international congress meeting. The second conference was in St. Andrews, Canada, in 1985; the third in Havana, Cuba, in 1990; the fourth in Sanriku, Japan, in 1993; and the fifth in Queenstown, New Zealand, in 1997. The number of participants and the international representation at the conference has grown from 34 scientists and managers from 6 countries at the first meeting to over 200 participants from 25 countries at the September 2000 meeting in Key West, Florida (USA). All told, 126 oral presentations and 43 poster presentations took place during the five-day meeting.