Determining links between spawning dynamics, as well as the early life history, of small pelagic fishes and oceanographic processes off south-eastern Australia is needed to strengthen the understanding of stock structure, basic biology, and the impacts of various environmental influences on the target species in the Commonwealth Small Pelagic Fishery. Little information is known about bio-physical links in this region, despite studies worldwide showing that oceanographic processes play a critical role in determining recruitment success of small pelagics and influence population dynamics as a whole. Furthermore, global climate change models predict that a strengthening of the East Australian Current (EAC), the largest influence on marine ecosystems in south-eastern Australia, will result in the region being most vulnerable to climate change. As a result, it is essential to understand how EAC dynamics influence small-pelagic fish stocks before any predictions of the influence of climate change can be made.

The opportunity exists to further explore data acquired during a previous ichthyoplankton study to establish links between the early life history stages of small pelagic fishes and ocean currents off south-eastern Australia. However, to fully develop hypotheses on such linkages, it is vital to obtain the latest information on large scale marine systems, ecological models and theories regarding transport, advection, dispersal and retention processes. Such opportunity to gather such information exists with a workshop and conference dedicated to connectivity in marine fish populations in July 2009. Attendance at this workshop would be highly beneficial in discussing and developing theories and hypothesis regarding links between the early life history of small pelagic fishes and oceanographic processes, as well as predicting possible effects of imminent climate change within south-eastern Australia.