Report on the STECF Expert Working Group 17-12 Fisheries Dependent Information : 'New-FDI' : Ispra, Italy, 23-27 October 2017

The STECF Expert Working Group (EWG) on Fisheries Dependant Information (FDI) took place in JRC, Ispra from 23 to 27 October 2017 to review the data transmitted by Member States under a new data call ('New-FDI'). The new data call specification was designed with three broad aims in mind i) Compatibility between the New-FDI data and the data held in the Fleet Economic database. ii) Ability to encompass all EU registered vessels including those from the Mediterranean, Black Sea and external waters fleets. iii) Ability to assess effects of management measures. The main purpose of the EWG was to judge if the call specification was appropriate to accomplish the above aims and to consider any difficulties encountered by member states in fulfilling the data call. Two terms of reference also allowed trial analyses to be conducted of a type relevant to the third broad aim. The EWG addressed all Terms of Reference during the meeting and drew conclusions on the modifications required for the New-FDI data call going forwards. Prior to the EWG it had been agreed by STECF Bureau that the report of the meeting would not be presented to STECF for approval as an STECF report but published separately (as a JRC technical report). This report therefore presents the data, methods observations and findings of an EWG of the STECF but the findings presented in this report do not necessarily constitute the opinion of the STECF or reflect the views of the European Commission and in no way anticipate the Commission's future policy in this area.