Marine Functional Connectivity data integration

On July 3-5th 2024, Susanne Tanner and Anna Sturrock (WG1 coleaders) and Audrey Darnaude (Chair) held a 3-day hybrid workshop to advance our ability to integrate different, but complementary, connectivity data gathered from diverse methods (genetics, telemetry, natural tags use and biophysical modelling) in a rigorous statistical way.

Hosted by AZTI in San Sebastian (Spain), this workshop, gathered 17 experts from 6 countries (mostly in person) to discuss and draft a roadmap towards integrating MFC data from 3 or more disciplines in a statistically rigorous way, using 2 multidisciplinary connectivity datasets as case study examples :

• one on the gilthead seabream in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean), and

• one the bluefin tuna in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

The team presented the advantages and limitations of each method for producing MFC matrices, reviewed method integration attempts to date, and discussed the best way to format all datasets for facilitating integration. A paper on the topic is currently in preparation.