Dedication The Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Mangroves as Fish Habitat are dedicated to the memory of University of Miami Professors Samuel C. Snedaker and Donald Perrin de Sylva. Samuel C. Snedaker Donald Perrin de Sylva (1938–2005) (1929–2004) Professor Samuel Curry Snedaker Our longtime collaborator and dear passed away on March 21, 2005 in friend, University of Miami Professor Yakima, Washington, after an eminent Donald P. de Sylva, passed away in career on the faculty of the University Brooksville, Florida on January 28, of Florida and the University of Miami. 2004. Over the course of his diverse A world authority on mangrove eco- and productive career, he worked systems, he authored numerous books closely with mangrove expert and and publications on topics as diverse colleague Professor Samuel Snedaker as tropical ecology, global climate on relationships between mangrove change, and wetlands and fish communities. Don pollutants made major scientific contributions in marine to this area of research close to home organisms in south and sedi- Florida ments. One and as far of his most afield as enduring Southeast contributions Asia. He to marine sci- was the ences was the world’s publication leading authority on one of the most in 1974 of ecologically important inhabitants of “The ecology coastal mangrove habitats—the great of mangroves” (coauthored with Ariel barracuda. His 1963 book Systematics Lugo), a paper that set the high stan- and Life History of the Great Barracuda dard by which contemporary mangrove continues to be an essential reference ecology continues to be measured. for those interested in the taxonomy, Sam’s studies laid the scientific bases biology, and ecology of this species. for the protection of mangroves. Within Don shared his extensive knowledge, the Rosenstiel School property, a small experience and insight with great mangrove stand containing all species enthusiasm and unique humor. He of Florida mangroves is dedicated is sorely missed by all those he be- to his memory. A commemorative friended, educated, and inspired. inscription marks the place and it is a testament to Sam’s legacy of research, teaching, and scholarship. BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 80(3): 451, 2007 Obituary Dail Woodward Brown (1942–2006) ail W. Brown played a key role in making the First International Symposium on Mangroves as Fish HabitatD a reality. Unfortunately, his life ended prematurely on September 27, 2006. Dail was Division Chief of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service Ecosystem Assessment Division and had retired in August of 2006. He dedicated 38 years of service to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and Smithsonian Institute and was an enthusi- astic supporter of coastal zone management and coral reef ecosystem research and conservation. Dail Brown was born on August 11, 1942 in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Upper Arlington High School in 1960. He double-majored in chemistry and biology at Denison University in Gran- ville, Ohio where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree. In 1965, he married his high school classmate, Patti Rea, before moving to California to continue his stud- ies in Biological Oceanography at the University of California Santa Barbara. His doctorate work focused on midwater-fish communities of three contiguous oceanic environments, which led to his Ph.D. in 1969. He and his wife moved to Virginia for Dail’s first appointment under Dr. William Aron at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. While at the Smithsonian, Dail worked on U.S. preparations for the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, the meeting which established the multilateral framework for addressing global envi- ronmental problems. Later, Dail joined NOAA, where he served in a number of roles in NOAA’s National Ocean Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, helping to develop the national coastal zone management program and working on endan- gered species, watershed management, and wetlands policy. In the 1980s, he also participated in salvaging efforts of the Battleship Monitor off the coast of North Carolina. He took a sabbatical in the early 1990s to work with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. From 1996, Dail served as Division Chief of the Ecosystem Assessment Division focusing on coral reef conservation, deep sea corals, habitat classification, and invasive species. Dail was a mentor to many people, a warm and gentle colleague, and truly cared for his team. For those of us who worked with him closely, we will miss his “open-door” policy, his approach to problem-solving, and his subtle reminders to not take our- selves too seriously. He had a way of making everyone laugh and despite the various demands of Washington D.C., he remained focused on the big picture, committed to investing in cutting-edge research and finding innovative conservation solutions. Dail loved reading about science, fisheries management, physics, history and poetry (he could recite T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land at one time). In the early 1990s, he also wrote creative articles for the Baltimore Sun promoting wetlands conservation. Dail enjoyed cooking for his family and was an avid tennis player before he suffered from post-polio syndrome. His love of science was demonstrated by his enthusiasm and dedication for judging at the Fairfax County Regional Science Fair for over 35 years. He is survived by his wife Patti, daughter Bonnie, and son Dail Jr. We honor his life and are grateful for his many contributions including his ardent support for the suc- cess of the First International Symposium on Mangroves as Fish Habitat. In loving memory…—Contributed by Shauna N. Slingsby. Bulletin of Marine Science 451 © 2007 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 80(3): 453–456, 2007 Preface Mangroves are conspicuous components of tropical and subtropical ecosystems around the globe. Because they occur along marine, estuarine, and riverine shore- lines, a wide variety of fishes can be found among their inundated root systems. Mangroves undoubtedly play a variety of roles in the lives of associated fishes— feeding areas for some, daytime refugia for others, and nesting or nursery areas for yet more. Clearly, variation is broad in terms of mangrove habitat species composi- tion, location, and configuration, as well as in terms of the fishes, invertebrates, and life stages that occupy them. Consequently, questions regarding the contribution of a given mangrove forest or mangrove-lined shoreline to the diversity, productivity, and stability of broader fish communities—and their exploited components—must be carefully qualified. Unfortunately, mangroves have only recently received focused attention from the international scientific and conservation communities as potentially important fish habitats—habitats which continue to rapidly shrink worldwide. While the body of scientific literature on mangrove-fish relationships is relatively small, it is growing. Recently, there has been a surge of correlative—and to a lesser extent, manipulative— investigations that address the basis for fish (and decapod) utilization (i.e., food vs shelter) as well as connectivity to fisheries and adjacent ecosystems. Many of these new studies are taking advantage of recent advances in fish tracking technology, ac- tive acoustic systems, chemical analysis of otoliths, underwater digital video photog- raphy, remote sensing, and geographic information systems. In addition to these new technologies, is the emerging science of creating or restoring mangrove habitat that is optimal for fish diversity, abundance, and/or production. Bulletin of Marine Science 453 © 2007 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami 454 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL. 80, NO. 3, 2007 Early in 2005, the idea of an international meeting dedicated to the topic of link- ages among mangrove habitats, fishes, fisheries, and adjacent systems seemed long overdue. Sound science is vital for the wise management and conservation of man- groves and fisheries, especially given that pressures on these resources continue to intensify. Our particular location for such a conference also seemed fitting. The State of Florida’s three southernmost counties contain virtually all of the estimated 2 million square kilometers of mangrove forest in the United States and Florida’s mangrove ecosystems were among the first in the world to receive serious scientific attention, especially from the standpoint of the role that red mangroves play in ma- rine food webs. From the outset, we knew that the symposium’s Miami venue had potential for local, national, and international participation as well as strong histori- cal connections. Nevertheless, we were taken aback by the scope, geographic extent, and sheer number of enthusiastic responses to our first announcement and call for papers of a mangrove-fish symposium to “…assess the state of the science, identify critical information gaps, and chart a course for future research, conservation, and management.” This issue of the Bulletin of Marine Science constitutes the “Proceedings of the First International Symposium on Mangroves as Fish Habitat.” The symposium convened April 19–21, 2006, at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Ma- rine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, Florida, USA. The three-day event attracted over 200 researchers, resource managers, educators, and students from 25 nations. The program featured 55 oral- and 25 poster-presentations, which were organized around the following themes: (1) Nursery and trophic function; (2) Conservation, management, and socio-economics; (3) Community ecology and connectivity; (4) Mangrove-fishery linkages; and (5) Disturbance and restoration. The symposium prompted the submission of 40 written manuscripts for this special issue of the Bulletin. Of these, 25 papers ultimately emerged from the peer-review process and have been arranged in this issue following the themes of the symposium. In addi- tion to the published papers, we include all contributed abstracts to permanently capture this remarkable event’s content, character, and active participation.