ACOM meetings in Berlin

The Advisory Committee met in the margins of the ASC in Berlin. The committee held two plenum meetings, and several subgroups met.

The main topic was the Workplan 2010. This plan includes meeting and reporting dates for expert, review, and advice drafting groups, and the Terms of Reference for these groups. ACOM works with a constantly evolving workplan; the plan is updated throughout the year and, as such, there is no final adoption of the plan, although ACOM will reconsider the plan in December.

The ACOM agenda in Berlin included a review of Advisory-Services performance in 2009 and a discussion of a user survey that is ongoing. Also, several projects were considered in relation to ACOM functions, and ACOM approved the proposals on how to progress. Finally, ACOM approved advice on redfish (S. mentella in Subareas V, XII, and XIV), on selectivity in gear targeting Baltic Cod, and some requests from NEAFC for information on vulnerable areas.

ACOM and SCICOM met in a joint session. The aim was to develop synergies between the committees and identify how ICES Science Programme can support ICES Advice and facilitate fast inclusion of scientific results in the Advisory Services. Also, ACOM reported on its research needs.