DCF data call coverage report for for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea in 2013

DG Mare called the DCF Data from Member States in the Mediterranean and Black Sea on 09 April 2013, defining the deadline of 3 June 2013 for data submissions from member states, under the Community Framework of Data Collection Regulation (DCR) (Council Regulation (EC) № 199/2008 of 25th February 2008). A second deadline specific for the Black Sea was established on 13 September 2013. The data call also defined a third deadline 3rd December 2013 for the submission of trawl and hydro acoustic surveys data for Mediterranean MS. The data call and its format are documented on the JRC's DCF website: http://datacollection.jrc.ec.europa.eu/data-calls. In comparison with the 2012 data call, the format of the DCF data call in 2013 did not change, with the exception of additional species included in the Appendix 7 of the data call. The DCF data submitted by national correspondents are duly evaluated in the present coverage report by JRC DCF team as part of an Administrative Arrangement with DG MARE. The report provides a detailed review of the timeliness and completeness of data submissions by Member States The report also builds on the data quality performed by Expert Working Groups convened under the STECF framework and partially by JRC data collection team. The Coverage Report may support end user feedback provided to DG MARE to facilitate the evaluation of EU Member States' compliance with DCF provisions. The evaluation is based on data specifications defined in the 2013 DCF data calls issued by DG MARE and it is based on three aspects: 1) timeliness of the submissions (according to the deadlines), 2) completeness (availability and coverage) of the data submitted, and 3) quality that allows to provide the requested scientific advice. Regarding the quality it was evaluated, alternatively, if the data were incomplete and/or insufficient and/or inconsistent and as a result hindered or delayed the scientific advice process. This coverage report is structured in 4 different sections. The first section presents procedures undertaken by the JRC to serve the data collection and to evaluate the validity and coverage of the submitted data. The second section consists of an overall evaluation and major comments regarding data submissions. The third part describes in detail the data tables submitted and outlines issues with missing data and resolution of the submitted variables. The last section is dedicated to a detailed review of timeliness, quality and coverage of each Member State's data submissions.