About GoFish

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This library provides a comprehensive, modular framework for developing and documenting agent-based models (ABMs) that simulate the movement, behavior, and environmental interactions of migratory fish in coastal aquatic systems. It is designed to support the standardization and implementation of ABMs in fisheries management, enabling researchers and practitioners to address complex environmental questions and evaluate remediation or restoration scenarios.

Motivation

The goal of this resource is to support students, researchers, and decision-makers by making agent-based modeling of migratory fish more accessible, reproducible, and applicable to real-world fisheries and habitat management challenges. By providing a standardized modular framework for key behavioral processes, this library promotes consistency, transparency, and credibility in ecological forecasting and decision support tools. It also establishes a foundation for critical conversations about the behaviors and functions represented in modeling, while supporting the empirical quantification of ecological relationships that influence movement, survival, and habitat use of migratory fish.

Application Context

This library was originally developed in support of research on the influence of tidal behavior and contaminant exposure on anadromous fish in the Penobscot River Estuary. However, its modular design allows for application to other estuarine and coastal systems where fish respond to environmental changes (i.e., salinity, velocity, and pollutants).

How to Use This Library

Each function or behavior in this library can be combined with others to build a complete agent-based model for migratory fish. These functions are designed to be adaptable, and easily configured for different species, life stages, or site-specific conditions.

How to cite GoFish

Software: Quintana, V., Huguenard, K., Zydlewski, G., Dello Russo, J., Zipp, K., & Swannack, T. (2026). GoFish: A next-generation toolkit for modeling migratory fish and quantifying sediment-bound contaminant risk in estuaries (Version 1.0) [Computer software]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21209898

Documentation: Quintana, V., Huguenard, K., Zydlewski, G., Dello Russo, J., Zipp, K., & Swannack, T. (2026). GoFish: A Modular Agent-Based Modeling Toolkit for Migratory Fish. https://vmahan1998.github.io/GoFish/

*For questions, feedback, guidance on implementation, or interest in adding to the library, please contact Vanessa Quintana at .