Assessment of Mediterranean Sea stocks : Part 1 (STECF-11-08)

The EWG 11-05 met in Ponza Island (Italy), 23-27 May 2011 to carry on STECF's mandate for assessing Mediterranean stocks and provide fisheries management. The meeting was chaired by A. Abella and attended by seventeen experts, including four STECF members and two JRC experts. The major ToRs (A-E), the assessment of Mediterranean exploited stocks and fisheries, were addressed by revising assessment results provided by the expert group in 2010 and defining the status of stocks which have not been assessed before. The assessments of recent and historic stock parameters and fisheries as well as management advice provided in the present report is constrained for the Geographical Sub-areas (GSA) off Spain, Italy and Malta since no experts from Cyprus, France, Greece and Slovenia attended the meeting. The EWG 11-05 devoted some time to verify the data obtained during the DCF Mediterranean data call in 2010 (ToR F) for completeness and accuracy. The present report contains findings for further consideration by STECF and DG Mare regarding GSAs off Spain, Italy and Malta as well as comments regarding small pelagic and spatial coverage of costal species. ToRs G covered the task of the development of appropriate biological indicators, and methods for stock assessments in poor data situation were addressed. The EWG 11-05 started to discuss and evaluate the mixed fisheries frameworks and computer programs to deliver mixed fisheries management advice under various scenarios (ToR I). As many of the Mediterranean fisheries are classified as mixed fisheries, this specific issue is considered very important and relevant analyses shall be continued during the forth-coming meetings.STECF EWG 11-05 initiated its evaluation of the French management plan as presented at short notice.