A benchmark workshop on Baltic salmon stocks (WKBBS) in ICES subdivisions 22-31 and in Subdivision 32, chaired by Alain Biseau, France, will be established and meet on 18-22 May 2026 at ICES HQ, Copenhagen, Denmark for a joint Baltic Salmon and Trout Assessment Working Group (WGBAST)/WKBBS workshop. On 16-20 November 2026, the benchmark group will meet for an assessment methods workshop at ICES HQ, Copenhagen, Denmark. An outline of the terms of reference (ToRs) for the benchmark can be found below:
a) The benchmark scoping (17-18 November 2025) workshop will:
- Create a prioritized issue list and workplan to prioritize and order of work for the data and the assessment development to be addressed in the benchmark ;
- Update the WKBBS Terms of Reference, as required; and,
- Assign task leaders and appropriate deliverables.
b) The benchmark data workshop (12-13 February 2026) will:
- Consider the quality of data proposed for use in the assessment, for instance commercial, recreational, freshwater and marine-captured salmon of both wild and hatchery origin;
- Consider stock identity and migration issues (grouping of stocks, criteria for river classification, and mixed stocks as basis for the advice);
- Make a proposal to the benchmark on the use and treatment of data for the assessment;
c) In preparation for the assessment methods workshop(s):
- Produce working documents to be reviewed during the assessment methods workshop at least 14 days prior to the meeting dates.
d) The joint WGBAST/WKBBS (18-22 May 2026)
- Agree to and thoroughly document the changes [already] made in the model (e.g. post-smolt survival estimates)
- Develop a framework for river classification
e) The benchmark assessment methods workshop (–16-20 November 2026) will:
- Agree to and thoroughly document the most appropriate, data, methods, and assumptions for:
- Obtaining population abundance and exploitation level estimates (conducting the stock assessment);
- Estimating fisheries and biomass reference points that are in line with ICES guidelines);
- Note: ACOM and the benchmark should work together to develop guidelines that are fit for purpose on mixed stock fisheries.
- Note: If additional time is needed to conduct the work and agree to reference points, an additional reference point workshop could be scheduled.
- Conducting the short-term forecast.
- A full suite of diagnostics (regarding e.g. data, retrospective behaviour, model fit, predictive power etc.) should be examined to evaluate the appropriateness of any model developed and proposed for use in generating advice;
f) If no analytical assessment method can be agreed upon, then an alternative method (following the guidelines of the ICES data-limited stock approach as outlined in ICES Guidelines for data-limited stocks) should be put forward by the benchmark;
g) Update the Stock Annex for each stock;
h) With support from the ICES Secretariat, document the stock assessments on the ICES Git-Hub and the Transparent Assessment Framework (TAF); and
i) Develop recommendations for future improvements in the assessment methodology and data collection.
Recurrent advice subject to benchmark:
sal.27.22-31 - Salmon (Salmo salar) in subdivisions 22-31 (Baltic Sea, excluding the Gulf of Finland)
sal.27.32 - Salmon (Salmo salar) in Subdivision 32 (Gulf of Finland)
Registration
All ICES workshops are open for participation. Participants from public institutes, universities, governments, international organizations and conventions, public consultative bodies, industry organizations, and environmental NGOs, as well as interested individuals, are welcome to join and contribute with their expertise.
If you would like to register for the benchmark, please fill out the registration form linked above or contact the supporting officer, Samuel Noringriis, via email. The deadline to register is 08 May 2026.
If the workshop is oversubscribed, ICES reserves the right, in consultation with the workshop chairs, to select the final workshop participants based on their expertise, gender and geographical distribution.
