Stock assessments in the Western Mediterranean Sea 2020

Proposed conduct of EWG 20-09 (deadline for registration Friday 17 July)

Given the situation in Europe both in terms of risks to people and unpredictability of conditions, it is proposed to hold the meeting for EWG 20-09. While the ToRs have not yet been finalised, it is expected that the stocks to be assessed will be those from GSAs 1,5,6,7 8,9,10 and 11 which were assessed in 2019. Remuneration for attendance will be based on the same 13 half day sessions as in previous years. Participants will be asked to check and add 2019 data to existing stock objects and to carry out largely update assessments following the same settings as 2019, with the exception of hake stocks which should follow the GFCM benchmark procedures. Only where stocks show important issues with new data will further work be attempted. Participants will be expected to work remotely though where necessary and help will be provided if needed by JRC. The proposal is to conduct the meeting on a part time basis over period extended to up to 2 working weeks. Following an initial plenary session which will be on the morning of 7 September, participants should prepare the new data and then run an update assessment. Plenaries will be held periodically, with 3 or maximum 4 subsequent stages for each stock. 1) Data preparation, 2) update assessment, 3) modified models for assessments with issues, (hopefully a small minority of stocks), 4) Stock status and short term forecasts. The report will follow the usual structure. The meeting will expect to progress at a slower pace than normal for a physical meeting, to allow for differing rates of progress among participants. It is expected that where necessary JRC staff can help with data extraction issues and running assessments remotely on a 1 to 1 basis through the meeting. The usual FTP site will be available so participants can share results throughout the meeting. The meeting will not hold plenaries at the weekend. The meeting will close in the second week when the work is complete but no later than 18 September. Participation throughout will be on a part time basis, but remote attendance at plenary sessions would be expected.

Please Note: Only those receiving an invitation letter to attend a meeting as observers will be granted access to the meeting. If you are interested to attend the meeting as observer please make yourself familiar with the rules and procedures for observer registration/invitation including the protocol for observers.

Deadline for the expression of interest to attend a meeting is 20 working days before the start of a meeting. Those experts who register after the deadline will be given lower priority depending on the number of registered participants and seats available.
The process for selecting participants for STECF meetings is as follows: the chairman, the coordinator the focal point and the STECF secretariat contact interested organisations and inform them of the upcoming meeting and invite suitable candidates to register their interest. As the meeting date approaches the secretariat takes the list of people who have registered and forwards it to the DG-MARE focal point, chairman and coordinator. The participants are chosen from the list based on their experience, but also in order to create a balanced group of participants (not too few, not too many) that covers the relevant geographical areas as well as areas of expertise. The list is published and an invitation letter is prepared. Only once an expert has received an invitation letter can travel be arranged.

(direct link to registration)

(Deadline for registration: 17 July 2020)

Register Here

• download ToR

• declaration of interests

• STECF 20-09 - Stock Assessments: demersal stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea
  • Annex I
  • Annex II