Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) – Stock Assessments: demersal stocks in Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Seas and straits of Sicily (STECF-22-16)

Commission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4–10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines.This report documents the outcomes of STECF Expert Working Group 22-16: 2022 stock assessments of demersal stocks in the Adtiat ic, Ionian and Aegean Seas from the meeting held in Rome from 17th to 23th October 2022. A total of 16 fish stocks were considered and 15 were fully evaluated. The EWG reports age based assessments, target Fs, with short term forecasts for 9 stocks of the remaining 6 stocks, four of these do not have short term forecasts as he assessments are not suitable, and one is given ICES category 3 advice. The content of the report gives the STECF terms of reference; the basis of the evaluations; assessments, summaries of state of stock and advised catch or F based on either the MSY approach for assessed stocks and category 3 based advice for those without assessments. The report contains the full stock assessment reports for the 14 assessments, the exploration of assessments and category 3 evaluations for the remaining stock. The report also contains the STECF observations and conclusions on the assessment report. These conclusions come from the STECF Plenary meeting November 2022.