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The main objective of the Working Group on Biological Parameters (WGBIOP) is to review the status, issues, developments, and quality assurance of biological parameters for use in assessments and management that are in line with the requirements of end-users. In this final year of the three-year term, WGBIOP operated under challenging circumstances due to COVID-19 measures. The initial action plan was replaced by a more flexible one, where online plenary and subgroup meetings were spread over the year with intersessional work to finalize the proposed deliverables.WGBIOP continued the review of past exchanges and workshops under the remit of the working group. Since 2019, these calibrations on age, maturity, and larvae identification have been carried out in SmartDots, an online platform for sharing images and facilitating the reading of otoliths, staging of gonads, and identification of early life stages. Developments are underway to include an improved calculation of modal age and error matrices in the SmartDots standard report. WGBIOP investigated ways to incorporate error matrices into assessments and studied the effect of this inclusion together with stock assessors.Requests for new exchanges and workshops were reviewed, with a focus on stocks to be benchmarked in the coming years. Issue lists were scrutinized, problems identified, and information provided to stock coordinators via regular channels and through the Stock Identification Database (SID). Despite close cooperation with stock assessors and continued efforts, it has not been possible to further streamline the WGBIOP workflow with the benchmark process. This will be addressed with the Advisory Committee. The need for validation studies was stressed by the repeated low levels of agreement between readers of some stocks and recurring issues and recommendations to WGBIOP. Lack of resources is the main obstacle. As a first step for measures to prioritize validation studies, WGBIOP identified precision, trueness, and feasibility of validation methods (as well as the urgency for the assessment). WGBIOP continued investigations into new life-history parameters for integrated assessment and advice in cooperation with end-users (Working Group on Integrative, Physical biological and Ecosystem Modelling-WGIPEM and Regional Coordination Groups-RCGs). This included a standardization and quality assurance action plan for stomach sampling. Efforts have also been taken to streamline data and workflows across databases and groups. A step has been taken in the standardization of quality assurance procedures at the regional level. Institute-level overviews of methods and quality assurance protocols used for ageing and maturity are now available. Also, a new method for quality grading was developed, tested, and implemented in SmartDots.

The Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE) reports on the status and considerations for management of Northeast-Atlantic mackerel, blue whiting, Western and North Sea horse mackerel, Northeast-Atlantic boarfish, Norwegian spring-spawning herring, striped red mullet (Subareas 6, 8 and Divisions 7.a-c, e-k and 9.a), and red gurnard (Subareas 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) stocks. Northeast-Atlantic (NEA) Mackerel. This species is widely distributed throughout the ICES area and currently supports one of the most valuable European fisheries. Mackerel is fished by a variety of fleets from many countries (ranging from open boats using handlines on the Iberian coasts to large freezer trawlers and Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) vessels in the Northern Area). The assessment methodology was modified during the 2019 inter-benchmark process. The 2019 WGWIDE assessment was an update of the benchmarked assessment incorporating a new year for the catch information, for all surveys (egg survey, IESSNS survey and recruitment index) and for the RFID tagging recapture. After a strong increase from the late 2000s to 2014, the SSB has been declining since 2015, but remains at high levels (well above MSY Btrigger), The estimated fishing mortality has been steadily declining since the mid-2000s, and is now estimated to be close to FMSY. This decrease of the fishing mortality, while the stock has been sustaining high catches (consistently in excess to ICES advice) is explained by a succession of good recruitments, indicating a current high productivity for this stock. Blue Whiting. This pelagic gadoid is widely distributed in the eastern part of the North Atlantic. The assessment this year followed the Stock Annex based the conclusions from the Inter-Benchmark Protocol of Blue Whiting (IBPBLW 2016). The method for calculating mean weight at age for the preliminary (2019) was however changed, such that the observed values were used. Previously, a three year average was used. Most of the annual catches are taken in the first halfyear, which makes it possible to use preliminary catches for 2019 in the assessment. This is done to reduce the effect of potential biases from the single survey used for this assessment. The SSB of the stock is large but declining since 2018. F has been reduced in recent years, but is still above FMSY. Recruitments in 2017–2019 are estimated to be low, following a period of high recruitments. Western Horse Mackerel. This species is widely distributed throughout the Northeast Atlantic: it spawns in the Bay of Biscay, and in UK and Irish waters; after spawning, parts of the stock migrate northwards into the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea. The stock is assessed using the Stock Synthesis integrated assessment model. The 2019 assessment is an update of the benchmark assessment with the inclusion of the 2018 data. According to the assessment results, the 20154-2018 recruitment estimates are the highest observed since 2008 (and higher than the geometric mean estimated over the years 1983–2018). Fishing mortality since 2012 has been decreasing overall, dropping to low values in 2015–2018 due to lower catches and a reduced proportion of fraction of the adult population in the exploited stock; it is however currently above FMSY. SSB in 2017 was estimated as the lowest in the time-series, below the limit reference point and is just above in 2018. The updated assessment shows the same trend as the previous ones, but rescales the absolute level of SSB and F over the most recent decade and, although this years’ revision is smaller, this indicates that there is still considerable uncertainty associated with it. An interbenchmark workshop occurred prior to the 2019 assessment working group: the workshop revised the biomass reference points from 911587t to 1168272t for MSYBtrigger and 0.108 to 0.074 for FMSY, hence the significant drop in adviceNorth Sea Horse Mackerel. After being benchmarked in January 2017, the CGFS and NS-IBTS survey indices were modelled with a zero-inflated model to produce a combined index. The observed trend in the last decade suggests that the stock is still at a low level in comparison with values earlier in the time-series. In 2017, the survey index showed a declining trend, and the stock remained at a low level in 2018. The result of the Length-Based Methods to estimate proxy MSY reference points for North Sea Horse Mackerel indicated that in 2018 fishing mortality was slightly above FMSY. Northeast Atlantic Boarfish. This is a small, pelagic, planktivorous, shoaling species, found at depths of 0 to 600 m. The species is widely distributed from Norway to Senegal. The directed fishery for boarfish in the NEA is a relatively new one with large catches during the early 2000s when the fishery was unregulated. Catches have reduced significantly since 2012 to the current level. Annual catch advice is provided using the data limited category 3 approach based on output from an exploratory Bayesian surplus production assessment model. The assessment model utilises catch data, an acoustic survey estimate of stock size and indices from a number of bottom-trawl surveys. The current assessment indicates that biomass peaked in 2012 at twice the historic mean before a rapid decline until 2014. Since this time the biomass level has been relatively stable. Norwegian Spring Spawning Herring. This is one of the largest herring stocks in the world. It is highly migratory and distributed throughout large parts of the NE Atlantic. This stock was benchmarked in 2016 (WKPELA). The assessment model introduced in the benchmark (XSAM), incorporates uncertainty in the input data, and has been used to provide advice after the benchmark. The SSB on 1 January 2019 is estimated by XSAM to be above Bpa (3.184 million t). The stock is declining and there is an upward revision of SSB for later years in this year’s assessment. The revision is, however, within the confidence limits of the model. Fishing mortality in 2018 is estimated to be below the management plan F that was used to give advice for 2018. A new management plan was implemented for the 2019 advisory year. Striped Red Mullet in North Sea, Bay of Biscay, Southern Celtic Seas, Atlantic Iberian Waters. This stock has been considered by WGWIDE since 2016. It is a category 5 stock without information on abundance or exploitation in relation to proxy reference points and indicators, and the evaluation is based on commercial landings. A time series of biological sampling of catches is being developed, and it may be possible to produce an analytical assessment in the near future, The advice for this stock, following the ICES precautionary approach, was given in 2017 for 2018, 2019 and 2020. Northeast-Atlantic Red Gurnard. This stock was first considered by WGWIDE in 2016, and this represents the second time the group has advised upon it. This is a category 6 stock, with large uncertainties in landings data due to poor resolution at the species level. Landings have fluctuated without trend since 2006, and discards remain significant –over 90% of catch in some cases. There remains no indication of where fishing mortality is relative to proxies and no stock indicators, and the evaluation is based on commercial landings, given the caveat that they will be incomplete. Advice for this stock is provided on the basis of the ICES precautionary approach for 2020 and 2021.

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The Working Group on Commercial Catches (WGCATCH), chaired by Mike Arm- strong (UK) and Hans Gerritsen (Ireland), met in ICES HQ, Copenhagen, Denmark, 10–14 November 2014. The meeting was attended by 34 experts from 21 laboratories or organizations, covering 16 countries. Currently, an important task for WGCATCH is to improve and review sampling sur- vey designs for commercial fisheries, particularly those for estimating quantities and size or age compositions of landings and discards and providing data quality indica- tors. However, the scope of WGCATCH is broader than this, covering many other aspects of collection and analysis of data on fishing activities and catches. This will be end-user driven, and coordinated with the work of other ICES data EGs such as the Working Group on Biological Parameters (WGBIOP), the Planning Group on Data Needs for Assessments and Advice (PGDATA) and the Working Group on Recrea- tional Fisheries Surveys (WGRFS) to ensure synergy and efficiency. The report of the meeting commences with background information on the formation of WGCATCH and its overall role. The remainder of the report provides the out- comes for each of the Terms of Reference (ToRs) and responses to external requests, the proposed future work plan and the ToRs for the 2015 meeting. The group formed two large subgroups to deal with the two major terms of reference which are the development of guidelines for carrying out sampling of catches on shore and the provision of advice on adapting sampling programmes to deal with the landing obligation. In order to evaluate methods and develop guidelines for best practice in carrying out sampling of commercial sampling of commercial fish catches onshore, a question- naire was circulated before the meeting. This questionnaire was structured around guidelines developed by the ICES Workshop on Practical Implementation of Statisti- cally Sound Catch Sampling Programmes (WKPICS) for best practice at each stage of the sampling process, and asked for a description of current practices at each of these stages. Based on these questionnaires, common and specific problems were cata- logued and potential solutions were identified. At the same time, the discussion of the questionnaires provided a form of peer-review of the sampling designs and iden- tified where improvements could be made. WGCATCH provided guidelines for de- signing a sampling survey and summarized earlier guidelines provided by the 2010 Workshop on methods for merging métiers for fishery based sampling (WKMERGE) The other main subject addressed by WGCATCH concerns the provision of advice on adapting sampling protocols to deal with the impact of the introduction of the land- ing obligation, which will alter discarding practices and result in additional catego- ries of catch being landed. A second questionnaire was circulated before the meeting to allow the group to identify the fleets that will be affected and possible issues that are anticipated, as well as to propose solutions to adapt existing monitoring and sampling schemes and to quantify bias resulting from the introduction of this regula- tion. WGCATCH outlined a range of likely scenarios and the expected effects of these on fishery sampling programmes, and developed guidelines for adapting sam- pling schemes. The group also explored a range of analyses that could be conducted in order to quantify bias resulting from the introduction of the landing obligation. Finally a number of pilot studies/case studies were summarized, highlighting the practical issues involved

The 11th RCM North Atlantic was held in Horta (Portugal) 22-26 September 2014. Due to the delayed introduction of the revised DCF the European Commission decided a roll-over in 2013 meaning Member States National Programmes 2011-2013 remains unchanged for the period 2014-2017. The limitations this decision brings for coordination of current MS national programmes have allowed RCM NA to focus in three major different aspects of the data collection where a better integration –as stated by article 4 Commission Decision 665/2008— is currently needed. 1. Concurrent sampling One of the major changes in the DCF that came into force in 2009 was a shift towards concurrent sampling: a sampling strategy covering the sampling of all species during sampling operations. Via this strategy the DCF is able to facilitate the data demands of the existing stock-based assessments as well as serving the revised needs for the ecosystem approach to fishery management. The requirements for concurrent length sampling were developed in PGCCDBS07. Implementation studies were done through the following years at national level and an ICES Workshop (2008) discussed about the common problems and the way for best implementation. However it seems concurrent sampling has been under discussion in some countries since then. STECF report (STECF, 12-07) noted “that concurrent sampling of different fish stocks in the same catch is carried out differently in different Member States leading to inconsistent estimates of catch compositions from sampling schemes. There is a need to explain and define concurrent sampling in order to ensure consistent sampling by MS.” RCM NA analysed the current situation. Data collected is increasingly being used by groups to provide additional information, not available in the past under historic data collection methods. RCM NA detailed the ICES Working Groups that have benefited from the introduction of concurrent sampling allowing them to provide more robust advice. Moreover, there are a large number of stocks lacking quantitative assessments and reliable estimates of stock status. RCM NA specified recent studies indicating that simple harvest control rules using information on the catch length composition and length reference points can be used to deliver catch-based advice that is risk adverse (e.g. Geromont and Butterworth 2014, Jardim et al., 2014, ICES WKLIFE). Concurrent sampling may constitute an important source of biological data for many of the data-limited stocks and the application of these simple HCRs. And historical series are in fact very recent so more results from on-going work is expected. The benefits of concurrent sampling were also highlighted regarding species specific data in species that are often grouped together, with quality that can be verified given the experience and expertise of the data collectors. In the RCM NA it was evident that not all MS were carrying out sampling in this manner. The question as to whether this variability in sampling affects the quality and utility of the data collected needs to be investigated. 2. Regional coordination Optimizing and harmonizing fisheries management across MS is dependent on improving regional coordination. This coordination is expected to improve through the use of tools as the regional data bases where on-going work is being developed. RCM NA analysed that there is a need for harmonization of métiers at level 6. This work was being accomplished since the 2008 RCM NA and was somehow abandoned last years so the problem persists. Reviewing and collating fleet descriptions, metier definitions, standardising metier coding and merging national métiers into regional metiers are fundamental steps that has to be taken by MS. RDB is currently containing big amounts of data not useful for regional coordination. The 2014 RCM NA decided to produce a reference list containing all the possible combinations for métier naming. The reference list was compared with both, data uploaded into the RDB and list of métiers as provided in the MS National Programme (NP 2011-2013). The results of this comparison show the need to restrict the RDB uploads and métier lists provided in the NP accordingly to the reference list and following the métier naming standards. The current list of métiers uploaded to the RDB is incomplete and definitely contains incorrect métier codes. 3. Quality checks There has been considerable discussion, guidance and recommendations about improving and reporting quality in relation to the DCF at STECF, RCMs and at ICES expert groups. This is an ongoing and collective task where specific inputs are needed. The report of RCM NA provides extensive guidelines to the MS how to implement quality assurance procedures. RCM NA focused on the quality issues and recommended QC and QA procedures at the National data capture and data processing level - those stages where the responsibility for checking the data remains firmly in the hands of the MS.This formsa simple standard QA document which can also inform data users and evaluators of the minimum checks carried out by each MS prior to any data upload to the RDB. There was not sufficient time to review the results and these will need to be done at the next RCM. The document itself will need to be reviewed as to its efficacy, whether it may form part of a Regional QA document and how it may be kept up to date if it does. Between the other issues addressed by the RCM NA it is necessary to stress the landing obligation. This represents a fundamental shift in the management approach to EU fisheries. The RCM NA considered different topics related to this new situation and discussed how it might have an impact on data. The direction of some of these implications is also unclear until the implementation of the obligation has been defined and the practical implications on the ground can be addressed. First issue considered was the access to vessels for biological sampling and potential changes in behaviour of fishing vessels. Opinion of the RCM is that scientific observers should have no mandate for the control of fishing regulations. Previous observer programmes have indicated that changes in operational behaviour already occur when an observer is on board. It is suspected that this will increase with the introduction of the landing obligation. Secondly, changes in IT systems and protocols were addressed. The landing obligation will generate changes for the collection of sampling data. One of the major changes is that the catch will be split into three catch components. As already stated in the other RCMs on-board sampling protocols will have to be adjusted to account for the new defined components of the catch. National fisheries institutes must update and adapt their existing IT systems in order to include the new catch components. Furthermore, the regional data bases and consecutively FishFrame and InterCatch need to be prepared and the uploading processes and raising and estimation procedures adapted. The third issue was the quality of data compliance of the logbooks. The quality of the data depends both on the quality of the catch information and the quality of the biological sampling. Both elements will be affected by the landing obligation. Concern is expressed by the RCM on the future quality of the catch statistics. The RCM is of the opinion that the discard plans, to be implemented in the different regions, should contain clear proposals on how different components of the catch should be monitored and that logbooks and IT systems should be adapted in a timely manner to record the different catch components. Analysis of the data call for submission data to the RDB revealed huge work must be done in order to ensure correct data are available for regional coordination and/or expert groups. Most part of countries uploaded data (only Spain –not uploaded but available to the meeting- and France –similar situation- didn’t do it) but superficial analysis showed the data uploaded was inconsistent: large differences between MS, low number of species uploaded indicating that uploads from several countries are still incomplete, incorrect name of the fishing activities making impossible check again the metier descriptions compiled in the past, etc. It is not the task of the RCM NA to check every data upload, so it was clear a new data call should be established to ensure MS upload correct data. Nevertheless RCM NA see big improvements in the work MS are doing regarding these data calls coming from a situation where some countries didn’t provide the data to a new scenario where everyone is providing data and worries concern the quality, which is a large step forward. Other items on the agenda were the consideration of the follow up of relevant recommendations made last year by Liaison Meeting; consideration of the cost sharing proposal received from RCM NS&EA; evaluation of the ICES data quality transmission sheets and presentations on relevant developments from ICES, EC and SC-RDB

Since 2002 Germany is obliged to collect fishery data to support the European Common Fishery Policy. Sampling of the com-mercial fishery under German flag is one duty within the EU fisheries data collection programme. During the past 6 years, 148 fishing trips were sampled by scientific observers onboard commercial fishing vessels to collect data on catch composi-tions with special emphasis on the proportions of landed and discarded fish. The results show that the proportion of discard is depending on the fishery. Highest discard rates were observed on beam trawl fishing trips. At the level of individual fishing trips, discard rates varied extremely within a fishery segment. Highest variations were found in the beam and bottom otter trawl fishery. In contrast, the discard rates in high-seas fisheries were low. Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries began publishing the Informationen aus der Fischereiforschung - Information on Fishery research in 2010.

Within the frame of the EU Data Collection Regulation (DCR), Germany is obliged since 2002 to collect basic fisheries data to support the Common Fisheries Policy. Various governmental institutions are involved in the collection of landings and effort data, biological and economic data of the German fisheries. About 200 trips on commercial fishery vessels were sampled from 2002 to 2006. Additional stock data are collected on research surveys. The landings of cod in the recreational fisheries in the North and Baltic Seas were recorded within a pilot study. In order to assess the economic situation of the fishing fleet and processing industry, economic data were collected. The collected data are being stored in a national database and being made available for scientific working groups. At present, the legal regulations within the DCR framework are being reviewed and adapted to the changing requirements of fisheries management. Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries began publishing the Informationen aus der Fischereiforschung - Information Fishery research in 2010. Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Institut für Seefischerei, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Institut für Ostseefischerei, Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung , Referat 422, Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, Referat 522

Since 1990 North-east Atlantic fish species – arctic cod, saithe, haddock, redfish and Greenland halibut – have been investigated by on-board observers on the German commercial trawler FMS Kiel. These investigations are part of the national data collection regulation established by the European Union in recent years. Collected data are basic data for the scientific assessment of these important fish stocks of the European fisheries. The results of the observed cruises are used by the Arctic Fisheries Working Group of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). Biological investigations were carried out in Norwegian waters and the Barents Sea (ICES Divisions IIa and IIb) on board FMS Kiel in January to March and in August/September 2004. This report presents results of these cruises and an overview about the general fishery situation in 2004. Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries began publishing the Informationen aus der Fischereiforschung = Information on Fishery Research in 2010.

Based on the EU Regulation 1543/2000 for the improvementof quantity and quality of fishery data the FederalMinistry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture hasinitiated a national data collection programme, executedby three institutions, Federal Research Centre for Fisheries(BFAFi), Federal Agency for Ariculture and Food and theFederal Research Centre Agriculture, co-ordinated by BFAFi.In 2004 samples have been taken from 943 hauls during29 commercial fishing trips; 357 000 fish have been measured. From 2002 to 2004 the number of length and weightand measurements, and age determinations could increasedby 32, 65 and 156 % resp. Pilot inquiries have beencarried out to prepare also the collection of economicaldate of fishing vessels and of fish processing plants from2006. Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries began publishing the Informationen aus der Fischereiforschung = Information on Fishery Research in 2010.

Seasampling of the important northeast Arctic fish stocks cod, saithe, haddock, redfish and Greenland halibut was continued in 2003. The sampling is part of the European data sampling directive on commercial fisheries established in recent years. This directive is relevant for European waters as well as for other areas where quotas have been assigned for European community member states. Furthermore, the results of these samplings are used as German basic data for stock assessments of the “Arctic Fisheries Working Group” of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). This report presents results of biological investigations which were carried out in ICES divisions IIa and IIb on board FMS “KIEL” in January/February and July/August 2003. The last section summarizes results and recommendations on the scientific assessment of the northeast Arctic fish stocks. Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries began publishing the Informationen aus der Fischereiforschung = Information on Fishery Research in 2010.