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The assessment of the status of fisheries resources is pivotal due to the importance of marine resources in global food security and to halt the ongoing decline in marine biodiversity. Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is one of the most valuable resources in the Northeast Atlantic. However, overfishing has caused the decline of several Nephrops stocks over the last decades, particularly in the Nephrops Functional Units (FUs) 25 (NW Spain), 26-27 (NW Spain and North Portugal) and 31 (Cantabrian Sea, North Spain). Since 2003, the information provided by the very low level of landings and fishing effort of these three stocks was insufficient to carry out an adequate analytical assessment, so the base of the assessment has been the trends from commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE). The objective of this study was to carry out the first assessment of these three stocks with an analytical MSY-based model. A review of the available data was made and the stochastic Surplus Production Model in Continuous Time (SPiCT) was fitted for each FU. The results indicate an extremely low biomass for FUs 25 and 26-27 since the mid-nineties well below the reference points. For FU 31, on the other hand, estimated biomass is larger. Our findings also identified long-term temporal and spatial changes in the population dynamic of Nephrops in the Northwest Iberian coast. The results were compare with those obtained in the same stocks with other data-limited methods. Also the role of abiotic factors on the observed dynamic of the stocks was explored. The results of this study are not only relevant for the sustainable exploitation of Norway lobster stocks off the Northwest Iberian coast but provide valuable insights into the suitability and limitations of production models for the assessment of crustacean stocks in general.

The assessment of the status of fisheries resources is pivotal due to the importance of marine resources in global food security and to halt the ongoing decline in marine biodiversity. Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is one of the most valuable resources in the Northeast Atlantic. However, overfishing has caused the decline of several Nephrops stocks over the last decades, particularly in the Nephrops Functional Units (FUs) 25 (NW Spain), 26-27 (NW Spain and North Portugal) and 31 (Cantabrian Sea, North Spain). Since 2003, the information provided by the very low level of landings and fishing effort of these three stocks was insufficient to carry out an adequate analytical assessment, so the base of the assessment has been the trends from commercial catch per unit effort (CPUE). The objective of this study was to carry out the first assessment of these three stocks with an analytical MSY-based model. A review of the available data was made and the stochastic Surplus Production Model in Continuous Time (SPiCT) was fitted for each FU. The results indicate an extremely low biomass for FUs 25 and 26-27 since the mid-nineties well below the reference points. For FU 31, on the other hand, estimated biomass is larger. Our findings also identified long-term temporal and spatial changes in the population dynamic of Nephrops in the Northwest Iberian coast. The results were compare with those obtained in the same stocks with other data-limited methods. Also the role of abiotic factors on the observed dynamic of the stocks was explored. The results of this study are not only relevant for the sustainable exploitation of Norway lobster stocks off the Northwest Iberian coast but provide valuable insights into the suitability and limitations of production models for the assessment of crustacean stocks in general.

The main task of WGHANSA was to assess the status of the stocks of sardine in the Celtic Seas and English Channel (pil.27.7), sardine in the Bay of Biscay (pil.27.8abd), sardine in the Cantabrian Sea and Atlantic Iberian waters (pil.27.8c9a), anchovy in the Bay of Biscay (ane.27.8), anchovy in Atlantic Iberian waters (ane.27.9a; components west and south), horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters (hom.27.9a) and jack mackerel in the Azores (jaa.27.10). Assessments and short-term forecasts were updated with modifications to mitigate the impact of missing surveys in 2020 due to the COVID19 disruption. For sardine in 8c9a, the PELAGO index was raised by a linear regression model to accommodate the lack of the PELACUS estimation; the age composition of PELAGO was assumed to represent the whole stock. The biomass of sardine (age 1+) is above MSY Btrigger for the first time since 2009. Fishing mortality is the lowest in the time-series but still above FMSY. To answer a special request from Portugal and Spain catch scenarios for 2020 were revised. For anchovy 9a.west, the PELAGO index was raised by a linear regression to accommodate the lack of the PELACUS2020 estimate. The stock size indicator increased from 4129 tonnes in 2019 to 56 526 tonnes in 2020. The harvest rate increased from 0.155 in management year 2018 to 0.63 in management year 2019. The relative SSB of anchovy 9.a.south increased 26% from 2019 to 2020 being well above Bpa. Relative Fishing mortality (F) has fluctuated with no clear trend. From management year 2018 to 2019, relative F decreased 22%. The index ratio (1over2 rule) showed a 98% increase of the stock size indicator in 2020. The assessment of horse mackerel in Division 9.a was modified due to the lack of the Portuguese demersal survey in autumn 2019. The SSB reached a historical maximum in 2020 of 1 102 627 tonnes. High recruitment since 2011 has contributed to the SSB increase. Fishing mortality, estimated to be 0.028 year -1 in 2019 has been be

The Workshop on the Development of Quantitative Assessment Methodologies based on Life-history traits, exploitation characteristics, and other relevant parameters for data-limited stocks (WKLIFE) focuses on the provision of sound advice rules for data-limited stock (DLS) assessments that are within the ICES MSY framework. This ninth workshop was convened to further address the challenges to the evidence base for the provision of ICES advice with specific reference to DLS. The reviewers’ report of WKLIFE VIII (ICES, 2018) was used as the basis to draft ICES technical guidance on advice rules for stocks in Categories 3 and 4 following the meeting in 2018. The draft document reflected the conclusions of the WKLIFE VIII meeting report but in order to provide a good guidance document to the ICES community, some of the text and steps identified required further elaboration. The intersessional work undertaken ahead of this WKLIFE IX meeting provided a basis to revise the draft and during this WKLIFE IX meeting, the draft technical guidance was revised and updated. The draft report of, and recommendations from, the ICES workshop on data-limited stocks of short-lived species (WKDLSSLS) was re-viewed and additional simulation studies undertaken during WKLIFE IX, and the need for specific advice rules for these stocks examined. Annex 3 to this report contains the revised and agreed text by the participants at WKLIFE IX. Specifically, the draft ICES technical guidance was revised and amended based on the work presented at WKLIFE IX and its previous workshops with respect to short-term forecasts utilising a surplus production model (SPiCT – Stochastic Production model in Continuous Time), and harvest control rules for length-based approaches, for short-lived species, and for bycatch elasmobranch stocks.

The overarching objective of the FishPi project is to strengthen regional cooperation in the area of fisheries data collection. The role of every case study within the project is to bring together the countries with the most involvement in the fisheries selected to coordinate and cooperate in the search of a probabilistic regional sampling design. To this aim, case study 4 (CS4) is focused in the Northern and Southern Hake stocks. The work done in the case study include the description of the fishery at a regional level, the compilation of the present national sampling activity, the compilation of the logbooks and/or sales notes from 2013 and 2014 –to have a single regional data set of all trips of interest in the region– and different runs of simulations to test the selected sampling scenarios and stratifications. Finally, an objective evaluation of the performance of these regional designs is expected to understand the changes needed compared to the present situation. This document presents the progress done in this case study, from the data compilation to the simulations, documenting the different steps taken and allowing an understanding of the pending tasks.

FishPi is a pilot project financed through an European grant (MARE/2014/19) aiming to strengthen regional coordination in the area of fisheries data collection. This project includes four case studies, one of which aims at analyzing alternative sampling plans for fisheries operating on Northern & Southern hake stocks. The case study analyzes a variety of sampling design scenarios, from Simple Random Sampling to combinations of stratified sampling designs (by country, by port, by quarter…), using anonymised landings data from logbooks and sales notes (2013-2014). The results were compared regarding bias and precision to evaluate the best approach. The most precise estimates of total catch were obtained in scenarios stratified by port and, secondly, by port and country and by port and quarter. The general conclusion was that regional sampling designs stratified by port provided improved precision in this fishery. Apart from statistical considerations, this conclusion was also discussed under other points of view to give a feasibility perspective showing that coverage by country, and also by domain (stock), would be compromised if regional design is simply based on statistical analyses. Efficiency and precision of sampling were found to be highly sensitive to the sampling assumptions and in general countries with smaller contributions to overall landings of hake would see their sampling plans reduced, compromising other requirements for advice such as those related to other stocks or local management measures established by National governments. Hence further analyses are being considered that integrate biometrics, cost-benefit aspects, and concurrent or single-stock sampling strategies.

The 12th RCM North Atlantic was held in Hamburg (Germany) 14-18 September 2015. The main purpose of the RCM is to coordinate the National Programmes (NP) of the Member States (MS) in the North Atlantic region. National Programmes for 2011-2013 have been rolled over for the period 2014-2016. Therefore, the main focus at this year was to improve regional data collection, analysis and storage and the evolution towards Regional Coordination Groups (RCG).The impact of the introduction of the landing obligation and preparations for its implementation was also discussed taking into account possible changes in scientific sampling schemes. The participation of four National Correspondents make possible to address National administration issues related to the oncoming EU MAP. A data call was launched by the chairs of the RCM NA, RCM Baltic and RCM NS&EA where MS were requested to upload data for 2014 in the regional database (RDB Fishframe) hosted by ICES. All MS except France and Northern Ireland complied with this request on landings and effort data. All MS except France uploaded sample data for 2014. French data were available for the meeting using a web base interface. Evaluation of the data call for submission data to the RDB revealed the numbers of species in landings and sample data and the numbers of metiers in effort data are in general data stable. RCM NA see big improvements in the work MS are doing regarding data calls coming from a situation where some countries didn´t provide any data to a new scenario where everyone is providing data; at the same time the overall quality has significantly improved, which is a large step forward. Regional data collection, analysis, storage and the evolution towards Regional Coordination Groups (RCG). Optimizing and harmonizing fisheries management across MS is dependent on improving regional coordination. The group discussed various needs and aspects relevant for facilitating future work of the RCM. Future tasks for the RCM don’

European hake (Merluccius merluccius) is widely distributed over the Northeast Atlantic shelf, from Norway to Mauritania, with a larger density from the British Islands to the south of Spain and in the Mediterranean and Black sea (ICES, 2015a). Hake is commercially exploited since the eighteenth century (Casey and Pereiro, 1995) but, unlike other gadoids as cod and haddock that supported important fisheries for centuries, large‐scale hake fishery began during the first half of the twentieth century. The European hake is a demersal and benthopelagic species, found mainly between 70 and 370 m depth; however, it also occurs in inshore waters (30 m) and down to depths of 1000 m (Cohen et al., 1990). Juvenile and small Europe hake usually live on muddy beds on the continental shelf, whereas large adult individuals are found on the shelf slope, where the bottom is rough and associated with canyons and cliffs. These biological characteristics make hake catches appears in most of metiers. Fleets involved use a variety of gears including otter trawlers, pair‐trawlers, gillnetters, longliners and, mainly in the southern case, a very heterogeneous small scale fleet –where also gears as traps, hand lines and small trammel nets are present—. Hake is caught in mixed fisheries together with megrim, monkfish, Nephrops, blue whiting, horse mackerel and mackerel depending in all cases on the area and the gear used.