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Small Pelagic FishChris LittlefieldCHAPTER8IntroductionSmall pelagic, or forage,fish species comprise acritical component of theincredibly complex andresilient ecosystem of theNorthwest Atlantic (Linket al. 2006). Also knownas small pelagics, thesespecies, with a few notableexceptions, are abundant.Because they providecrucial ecological links betweenplankton and higherlevel predators, smallpelagic species bind theentire system together andcan help aid the recoveryof depressed populationsof benthic and pelagicfish, mammals, and birds.There are several speciesamong the small pelagic group currently of concern to conservation, most notably the Atlantic menhaden. Virtually allmarine fish and invertebrate species, from egg to adult stages, are forage for other predators at some stage of their livesand most will not be considered here. Zooplankton, worms, crustaceans and other invertebrates, except for two speciesof squid, also will not be included in this assessment. In addition to their importance to the ecology of the region as acrucial intermediate component of the food web, small pelagic species are subject to varying degrees of fishing effort andexploitation. Until recently, the ecosystem impacts of fisheries conducted on small pelagic species were seldom taken intoaccount.Technical Team MembersMark Bryer, The Nature Conservancy, MarylandTed Durbin, Ph.D., University of Rhode IslandChris Littlefield, The Nature Conservancy, Rhode IslandJay Odell, The Nature Conservancy, VirginiaWilliam Overholtz, Ph.D., Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service© Chris Littlefield, TNCNorthwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment • Phase 1 Report 8-