WKD3C3SCOPE took place from 12-14 June online, focused on defining the characteristics of a 'healthy population' that apply to species with different life history traits and identifying D3C3 indicators for these characteristics.
This is the first of a series of workshops upon a request from the European Commission DG Environment to identify operational indicators for D3C3. Characteristics identified in this workshop will form the basis for further testing at workshop in September (WKD3C3THRESHOLD 18-21 September).
Assessments of commercial fish and shellfish (D3) for good environmental status (GES) uses the well-established CFP indicators fishing mortality (F) and spawning stock biomass (SSB) for the MSFD criteria D3C1 and D3C2 of Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848). Under the MSFD, a third criterion (D3C3) on the age and size distribution of individuals in a population is to be used to fully reflect the objective for Descriptor 3: 'Populations are within safe biological limits, exhibiting a population age and size distribution that is indicative of a healthy stock' (D3C3). However, there is no agreed D3C3 indicator and threshold values available yet.
