The data evaluation workshop will
- consider the quality of data proposed for use in the assessment
- consider stock identity and migration issues
- make a proposal to the benchmark on the use and treatment of data for each assessment, including discards, surveys, life history, etc.
Stakeholders are invited to contribute data in advance of the data evaluation workshop (including data from non-traditional sources) and to contribute to data preparation and evaluation of data quality.
As part of the assessment methods workshop, the group 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 (see Technical document on reference points)
- conducting the short-term forecast.
A full suite of diagnostics (regarding for e.g. data, retrospective behaviour, model fit, predictive power etc.) will be examined as a whole to evaluate the appropriateness of any model developed and proposed for use in generating advice.
The group will also update the stock annex as appropriate, and develop recommendations for future improvements of the assessment methodology and data collection.
The Benchmark Workshop will report by 17 March 2023 for the attention of ACOM.
