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The JRC presented a brief review of the current STECF system in place to provide advice on Mediterranean fisheries management and data collection issues. JRC highlighted some structural risks and inefficiencies that currently exist. The review explored some examples of integrated actions that could reduce or mitigate such risks. Such actions as part of a long-term strategy would lead to a proactive advisory process as opposed to the current more reactive sequence of individual steps considered by STECF. STECF notes this initiative from the JRC and aims to revisit the topic in time for development of the next management plan stage, post 2025. On 21 February 2023, the Commission adopted the Fisheries and Ocean package consisting of four documents: the Communication on the functioning of the CFP, the Action Plan “Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries”, the Energy transition initiative and the report on the functioning of the Common Market Organisation (CMO). The package brings together all different aspects of the EU’s policy on fisheries and the Ocean, looking at the future, and at how we can ensure that fisheries continue to grow in resilience and sustainability. With this package, the European Commission plans on launching a policy discussion with all institutions and stakeholders the EU’s policy on fisheries and the Ocean European Commission Published Refereed

A water-dispersible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate is developed to provide rapid and reproducible measurement of solution-borne analytes. Cellulose nanomaterials are generally dispersible in water and are known to act as a reducing agent and support for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. In this work, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are decorated with Ag nanoparticles to yield plasmonic cellulose nanofibers (Ag-CNF). The chemical reduction of the Ag onto the CNF is explored and characterized. Conditions are optimized in terms of the SERS intensity of a probe species. A process is introduced to produce colloidally stable bundles of the hybrid nanomaterial that contain closely spaced Ag nanoparticles which serve as SERS hot spots. This water-dispersible substrate offers high reproducibility and rapid analysis of analytes that both chemisorb and physisorb to the Ag nanoparticles. Ag-CNF are used to detect rhodamine 6G and malachite green within 2 min. Malachite green is measured at a limit of detection of 80 pM.

The evolution of Raman spectroscopy into a useful analytical technique has been due, in part, to the development of inexpensive, compact instrumentation and advancements in methodologies that enhance Raman intensities. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a primary methodology for quantitative and low detection limit measurements. While a broad array of applications using solid SERS substrates have been demonstrated, in-solution SERS measurements are not as widely pursued. This work seeks to optimize the synthesis of gold nanostars (AuNS) as a colloidal SERS substrate for in-solution measurements using handheld instrumentation. The types and concentrations of two buffers typically used for AuNS synthesis are examined to optimize the SERS intensity of a chemisorbed Raman probe. The observed SERS intensity primarily depends on conditions that allow higher surface coverage of the probe. Conditions that result in AuNS aggregates are found to be most optimal for SERS, similar to other nanoparticle shapes. A method to quantitate methimazole, an anti-hormone pharmaceutical, in urine is developed and reported. The primary impact of this work is the demonstration of the combination of water dispersible substrates and handheld instrumentation for rapid and sensitive analytical measurements.

There are concerns that simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplants from DCD donors have a higher risk of graft failure than those from donation after brain death (DBD) donors. A UK registry analysis of SPK transplants between 2005-2018 was performed. Pancreas survivals of those receiving organs from DCD or DBD donors were compared. Multivariable analyses were used to adjust for baseline differences between the two groups and to identify factors associated with pancreas graft loss. 2,228 SPK transplants were implanted; 403 (18.1%) were from DCD donors. DCD donors were generally younger, slimmer, less likely to have stroke as a cause of death, with lower terminal creatinines and shorter pancreas cold ischemic times than DBD donors. Median (IQR) follow-up was 4.2 (1.6-8.1) years. On univariable analysis, there were no statistically significant differences in five-year death-censored pancreas graft survival between the two donor types (79.5% versus 80.4%; p=0.86). Multivariable analysis showed no statistically significant differences in five-year pancreas graft loss between transplants from DCD (n=343) and DBD (n=1492) donors (hazard ratio 1.26, 95% CI 0.76-1.23; p=0.12). The findings from this study support the increased use of SPK transplants from DCD donors.

In a communication of 24 November 2016 from the Director General of DG MARE, Mr Joao Aguiar Machado, to the Director General of the JRC, Mr Vladimir Sucha, the JRC was requested to carry out an analysis to determine the proportions of fish stocks distributed in the waters of the various Member States and of the catches of such fish and in particular, as a matter of urgency, to obtain the best possible information on catches (and the value of those catches) taken from the UK EEZ by EU-27 states. Subsequent to that communication a meeting between representatives from the relevant EU-27 Member States (BE, DE, DK, ES, FR, IE, NL, SE, herafter referred to as the EU-8), DG MARE and JRC was held on 16 December 2016 to discuss the approach to be taken andthe timeline. At that meeting it was agreed that during January 2017, Member States would be given the opportunity to resubmit data for cases where there was the need to amend the data previously submitted under the 2016 DCF Fleet Economic and FDI data calls (e.g. 2015 landings data were preliminary in the 2016 Fleet economics data call). It was also agreed that the JRC would provide its data upload facility, compile and analyse the data submitted by Member States and produce a report containing as primary product, 5-year averages of estimates of landings in weight and value by each (relevant) Member State from the UK EEZ, also expressed as percentage of total MS landings and value, plus tables of the breakdown of such estimates by fish species and Member State. This report presents the results of the analyses undertaken by the JRC., JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resources

Background aims: \ud Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) isolated from various tissues are under investigation as cellular therapeutics in a wide range of diseases. It is appreciated that the basic biological functions of MSCs vary depending on tissue source. However, in-depth comparative analyses between MSCs isolated from different tissue sources under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions are lacking. Human clinical-grade low-purity islet (LPI) fractions are generated as a byproduct of islet isolation for transplantation. MSC isolates were derived from LPI fractions with the aim of performing a systematic, standardized comparative analysis of these cells with clinically relevant bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM MSCs).\ud \ud Methods: \ud MSC isolates were derived from LPI fractions and expanded in platelet lysate-supplemented medium or in commercially available xenogeneic-free medium. Doubling rate, phenotype, differentiation potential, gene expression, protein production and immunomodulatory capacity of LPIs were compared with those of BM MSCs.\ud \ud Results: \ud MSCs can be readily derived in vitro from non-transplanted fractions resulting from islet cell processing (i.e., LPI MSCs). LPI MSCs grow stably in serum-free or platelet lysate-supplemented media and demonstrate in vitro self-renewal, as measured by colony-forming unit assay. LPI MSCs express patterns of chemokines and pro-regenerative factors similar to those of BM MSCs and, importantly, are equally able to attract immune cells in vitro and in vivo and suppress T-cell proliferation in vitro. Additionally, LPI MSCs can be expanded to therapeutically relevant doses at low passage under GMP conditions.\ud \ud Conclusions: \ud LPI MSCs represent an alternative source of GMP MSCs with functions comparable to BM MSCs.

Standard accounts of the ad baculum locate its fallaciousness either in irrelevance or dialogue shift. Such accounts, however, fail to explain its persuasiveness. This paper offers a new account where the real target of an ad baculum is an audience downstream from the initial ad baculum exchange. This means that the ad baculum consists in misrepresenting the quality of evidence by means of the forced adoption of a particular standpoint.

This study is about the people and things of accounting, and more particularly how they relate to produce accounting work in organisations. Until recently, accounting was produced by accountants, and there was a reasonably unproblematic divide between accounting people and accounting things. This is no longer the case. The transformation taking place in the profession is difficult to interpret and theorise. Practice is ahead of our thinking, and our conceptual tools for thinking and researching accounting are struggling somewhat to allow us researchers to make sense of the change. As a result, the research that underpins this thesis starts with the everyday contemporary work of accounting in organisations - studying the stories accountants tell of the various toils and tribulations of their work from twenty four storytelling interviews. Across three papers, I engage in a theoretical exploration, drawing on recent contributions from across the social and human sciences - philosophy, anthropology, sociology, political theory, management, organisation studies and accounting, with the aspiration of drawing out a greater understanding of contemporary accounting work. Paper One sets the scene by exploring the humans and non-humans of accounting work. Relying heavily on fundamental elements of Donna Haraway’s vivid image of the cyborg, Paper One surfaces the hybridic nature of contemporary accounting work. Paper Two revisits an actor-network theory approach to the hybrid assemblage of accounting with the salve of affect theory. In doing so, Paper Two surfaces and advocates for an anti-sacrificial politics of accounting work in organisations in support of the anxious humans that appear to be ever more diminished within the emerging hybridic nature of accounting work. Going further, Paper Three seeks out a greater understanding of the spirit of accounting work in organisations, the deeply felt eschatology and sense of impending judgement that animates everyday accounting work. Taken together, assisted by recent advances in social theory, the three papers aspire to renew our thinking about accountants everyday work, searching for a greater meaning and understanding. Keywords: accounting, accountant, roles, cyborg, actor-network theory, affect theory, anxiety, anti-sacrificial, spirit of accounting, eschatology

The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) not hold its 63rd Plenary Meeting as originally foreseen on 16-20 March 2020 but was requested to draft its advice by written procedure instead.-- 94 pages, The STECF was originally planned to meet in plenary on 16-20 March at the JRC, Ispra. Due to the emergent covid-19 situation in northern Italy and later on the whole of Europe, the meeting was first shifted to Brussels, and then cancelled and replaced by a written procedure with STECF members addressing the ToRs from their home offices. The original ToRs were re-prioritised by the Commission in order to facilitate the STECF working under non-ideal conditions. In addition, the Commission supported the STECF chair and vice-chair, rapporteurs and those STECF members being able to contribute to the written procedure by issuing individual ad hoc contracts. Below DG MARE lists the points to be developed under written procedure. All other points originally included in the draft ToR and Agenda are either postponed to one of the future plenaries or to be dealt with under different procedures, or will no longer be dealt with by STECF. After consultation within DG MARE, this exceptional written procedure to replace the Plenary March session, will need to deal with the following points and ToR. These concern, in summary: - 2 points in the Atlantic – both technical measures - 3 points in the Med – some diversity in the subject - 1 point in the Black Sea – on data collection. Finalization of the written procedure on all topics was foreseen for 3 April 2020

Additional file 3. Populated STROBE cohort study checklist.

The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) held its 65th plenary as virtual meeting from 9-13 November 2020.-- 152 pages, Commission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines

Additional file 1. Checklist.

Additional file 2. Audit description table.

Commission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines. The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries held its 64th plenary as a virtual meeting from 6 to 10 July 2020.

The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) hold its 61st plenary on 1-5 July 2019 at the Centre Borschette, Brussels.-- 139 pages, Commission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines

Commission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines. The STECF reviewed the report of the EWG on Fisheries-dependent Information during its winter 2019 plenary meeting.

The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) hold its 62nd plenary on 11-15 November 2019 at the Centre Borschette, Brussels.-- 154 pages, Commission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines

© 2017 Nature America, Inc., part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved. The treatment of common bile duct (CBD) disorders, such as biliary atresia or ischemic strictures, is restricted by the lack of biliary tissue from healthy donors suitable for surgical reconstruction. Here we report a new method for the isolation and propagation of human cholangiocytes from the extrahepatic biliary tree in the form of extrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids (ECOs) for regenerative medicine applications. The resulting ECOs closely resemble primary cholangiocytes in terms of their transcriptomic profile and functional properties. We explore the regenerative potential of these organoids in vivo and demonstrate that ECOs self-organize into bile duct-like tubes expressing biliary markers following transplantation under the kidney capsule of immunocompromised mice. In addition, when seeded on biodegradable scaffolds, ECOs form tissue-like structures retaining biliary characteristics. The resulting bioengineered tissue can reconstruct the gallbladder wall and repair the biliary epithelium following transplantation into a mouse model of injury. Furthermore, bioengineered artificial ducts can replace the native CBD, with no evidence of cholestasis or occlusion of the lumen. In conclusion, ECOs can successfully reconstruct the biliary tree, providing proof of principle for organ regeneration using human primary cholangiocytes expanded in vitro.

© 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved. The temporal dynamics of phytoplankton growth and activity have large impacts on fluxes of matter and energy, yet obtaining in situ metabolic measurements of sufficient resolution for even dominant microorganisms remains a considerable challenge. We performed Lagrangian diel sampling with synoptic measurements of population abundances, dinitrogen (N"2) fixation, mortality, productivity, export and transcription in a bloom of Crocosphaera over eight days in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). Quantitative transcriptomic analyses revealed clear diel oscillations in transcript abundances for 34% of Crocosphaera genes identified, reflecting a systematic progression of gene expression in diverse metabolic pathways. Significant time-lagged correspondence was evident between nifH transcript abundance and maximal N"2 fixation, as well as sepF transcript abundance and cell division, demonstrating the utility of transcriptomics to predict the occurrence and timing of physiological and biogeochemical processes in natural populations. Indirect estimates of carbon fixation by Crocosphaera were equivalent to 11% of net community production, suggesting that under bloom conditions this diazotroph has a considerable impact on the wider carbon cycle. Our cross-scale synthesis of molecular, population and community-wide data underscores the tightly coordinated in situ metabolism of the keystone N"2-fixing cyanobacterium Crocosphaera, as well as the broader ecosystem-wide implications of its activities.

Expert working groups EWG-14-12 / 14-21 were convened under STECF to assess balance indicators for key fleet segments, review national reports on Member States efforts to achieve balance between fleet capacity and fishing opportunities, and assess Action Plans submitted for fleet segments where Member States identified structural overcapacity. EWG-14-12 was held in Salerno, Italy from the 27-31 October 2014; EWG-14-21 was held in Ispra, Italy from the 13 – 15 January 2015. Independently calculated balance indicators, based on DCF economic data and stock assessment information were provided to experts, and the evaluation of these balance indicators is reported here. Member State fleet capacity reports were assessed by using the scoring system developed and applied in previous STECF EWGs. Fleet segment Action Plans submitted by Member States for fleet segments with identified structural overcapacity as identified by the Member States in their reports in line with Article 22.4 of Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 were evaluated for the first time. The Commission requests that an analysis of balance between fleet capacity and fishing opportunity be made using a standard approach across all EU fleet segments and based on DCF information. Where possible, evaluation should use data reference year 2009 to 2012 or 2013 if data are available. In 2012 the assessed fleet segments represented over 70% of the value of landings of the EU. The objective is to increase this percentage in the next few years., peer-reviewed

The Mediterranean and Black Sea list of stocks to be used for computing the indicators was based on a ranking system approach for which the species having a rank in the first ten positions either in total live weight or total economic values were chosen. Landings and economic values for the Mediterranean and Black Sea (FAO area 37) provided by “2016_STECF 16-11 - EU Fleet Economic and Transversal data tables” were used. The reference years were 2012 and 2014 (the last three years available for all the GSAs) and, as geographic strata, the Geographical Sub Areas (GSAs) belonging to EU countries and for which data were available were considered. In the top ranking 10 stocks based on both in terms of live weight and economic value by GSA applied to AER Landings, many combined/nei groups categories were selected. Based on local expert knowledge it was possible split some mixed categories at species level while, it was decided to drop from the list both the misreporting species and the mixed categories for which it wasn't possible defined clearly the species composition. Eventually 230 stocks were selected., JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resources

CONSORT Flow diagram. (PDF 779Â kb)

Smartphones and tablets with touchscreen have demonstrated potential to support the needs of individuals with motor impairments such as hand tremor. However, those users still face major challenges with conventional touchscreen gestures. These challenges are mostly caused by the fine precision requirement to disambiguate between targets on small screens. To reduce the difficulty caused by hand tremor in combination with small touch targets on the screen, we developed an experimental system-wide assistive service called Touch Guard. It enables enhanced area touch and a series of complementary features. This service provides the enhanced area touch feature through two possible disambiguation modes: magnification and descriptive targets list. In a laboratory study with motor-impaired users, we compared both modes to conventional tapping and tested Touch Guard with real-world applications. Targets list based disambiguation was more successful, reducing the error rate by 65% compared to conventional tapping. In addition, several challenges and design implications were discovered when presenting new touchscreen interaction techniques to users with motor impairments. As the experimental product of an intern research project at Google, Touch Guard demonstrates broad potential for solving accessibility issues for people with hand tremor using their familiar mobile devices, instead of high-cost hardware.

We present a complete system for Spectral Cauchy characteristic extraction (Spectral CCE). Implemented in C++ within the Spectral Einstein Code (SpEC), the method employs numerous innovative algorithms to efficiently calculate the Bondi strain, news, and flux. Spectral CCE was envisioned to ensure physically accurate gravitational wave-forms computed for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO) and similar experiments, while working toward a template bank with more than a thousand waveforms to span the binary black hole (BBH) problem’s seven-dimensional parameter space. The Bondi strain, news, and flux are physical quantities central to efforts to understand and detect astrophysical gravitational wave sources within the Simulations of eXtreme Spacetime (SXS) collaboration, with the ultimate aim of providing the first strong field probe of the Einstein field equation. In a series of included papers, we demonstrate stability, convergence, and gauge invariance. We also demonstrate agreement between Spectral CCE and the legacy Pitt null code, while achieving a factor of 200 improvement in computational efficiency. Spectral CCE represents a significant computational advance. It is the foundation upon which further capability will be built, specifically enabling the complete calculation of junk-free, gauge-free, and physically valid waveform data on the fly within SpEC.

The rough project plan for the Clipper projecy proposal to the JISC Research Data Sprinf inititative.

Within this manuscript, I present three distinct essays linked by the commonality of how information is utilized in decision-making and its effect on environmental policy. In the first essay, I evaluate the price to which consumers respond under complicated billing structures. I exploit a natural experiment to estimate a causal effect of price for residential water customers during the introduction of increasing block rates for a North Carolina utility. Perceived price is identified through a billing anomaly in which changes in marginal and average prices move in opposite directions. Empirical results contribute evidence that residential water customers respond to average price. Average price elasticity estimates vary from -0.43 to -1.14 across the distribution of consumption in triple-difference models, with an estimate of -0.31 in the tightest bandwidth of regression discontinuity specifications. In the second essay, I examine a causal effect of billing frequency on consumer behavior. I exploit a natural experiment in which residential water customers transitioned exogenously from bi-monthly to monthly billing. I find that customers increase consumption by approximately five percent in response to more frequent information. This result is reconciled in a model of price and quantity uncertainty, where increases in billing frequency reduce the distortion in consumers' perceptions. Using treatment effects as sufficient statistics, I calculate gains in consumer surplus equivalent to 0.5--1 percent of annual water expenditures. Heterogeneous treatment effects suggest increases in outdoor water use. And, in the final essay, I consider the role of heterogeneous green preferences for private provision of environmental public goods in an asymmetric information context. Under varying degrees of information available to a regulator, I characterize equilibrium properties of several mechanisms. I find incentive compatible Nash equilibria that provide socially optimal public goods provision when the regulator can enforce individual consumption contracts, as well as when reported consumption contracts are supplemented with group penalties. The role of budget balancing is recast as a policy intervention for correcting environmental market failures.

In this paper we introduce JustSpeak, a universal voice control solution for non-visual access to the Android operating system. JustSpeak offers two contributions as compared to existing systems. First, it enables system wide voice control on Android that can accommodate any application. JustSpeak constructs the set of available voice commands based on application context; these commands are directly synthesized from on-screen labels and accessibility metadata, and require no further intervention from the application developer. Second, it provides more efficient and natural interaction with support of multiple voice commands in the same utterance. We present the system design of JustSpeak and describe its utility in various use cases. We then discuss the system level supports required by a service like JustSpeak on other platforms. By eliminating the target locating and pointing tasks, JustSpeak can significantly improve experience of graphic interface interaction for blind and motion-impaired users.

This Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) thesis investigated graduate and employer attitudes on the skill set requirements for professional accountants and specifically whether university accounting programs provide the emotional intelligence (EI) skills an accounting graduate needs. Emotional intelligence is the effective awareness, control and management of one's own emotions, and those of other people. Theories of emotional intelligence assert that EI is more important than cognitive ability or technical expertise in predicting managerial success - even in the accounting field. As a result there has been considerable debate about the need for accounting graduates to develop EI skills in their university accounting programs to better prepare them for careers in the accounting profession. While much accounting education research has been noted for its underemployment of theoretical frameworks, this descriptive study used neo-correspondence theory to investigate the attitudes of accounting graduates and accounting employers. Neo-correspondence theory is derived from the correspondence theory of education which emphasizes the connection between higher education student experience and the workplace. While many studies have identified gaps or lack of correspondence between the university accounting curriculum and the accounting workplace, the findings of this study suggest that the gap may not be as big as expected. While employers and graduates acknowledge the importance of certain EI skills (e.g. self-confidence) for the workplace, they do not have expectations that these skills be developed in university. Other EI skills (e.g. service) were considered by employers and graduates to be important but not well developed in accounting graduates through their university accounting programs. The results also reveal that employers consider some EI skills (e.g. teamwork and collaboration) as being important and well developed in accounting graduates. Somewhat surprisingly, however, were the findings around technical skills. While some technical skills (e.g. financial accounting and audit and assurance) are considered well developed in graduates, others such as bookkeeping, integrative thinking and analytical skills are viewed by employers as important but needing more development in university accounting programs. The study has academic and practical contributions. The research provides a broader understanding of the skill set (particularly the EI skills) valued by accounting employers and accounting graduates. The study will inform university accounting educators about the ranked importance of various technical and nontechnical skills (primarily EI skills) according to employer and graduate perspectives. Also, the study produces data about the perceived extent of development of these skills in accounting graduates and their expected development in university. This research study is relevant for the academic community by contributing to the use of the theories of emotional intelligence and neo-correspondence. The emotional intelligence field is still relatively new and neo-correspondence theory has never been used in an emotional intelligence context before. Overall, this research has relevance in the accounting education research field, the professional accounting workplace and in the university accounting classroom

The straw man fallacy consists in inappropriately constructing or selecting weak (or comparatively weaker) versions of the opposition's arguments. We will survey the three forms of straw men recognized in the literature, the straw, weak, and hollow man. We will then make the case that there are examples of inappropriately reconstructing stronger versions of the opposition's arguments. Such cases we will call iron man fallacies.

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Casey, J. ... et al.-- The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries hold its 44th plenary on 4-8 November 2013 in Brussels, Belgium.-- 124 pages, The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries hold its 44th plenary on 4-8 November 2013 in Brussels (Belgium). The terms of reference included both issues assessments of STECF Expert Working Group reports and additional requests submitted to the STECF by the Commission. Topics dealt were inter alia assessments of the economic performance of the EU aquaculture and fish processing sectors, fishing effort regime evaluations, and review of stock advice