In September 2025, ICES established a “Tiger Team” to conduct a review-level benchmark of the Northern Shelf cod stock. ICES is committed to transparency and stakeholder engagement in all our processes. The final Tiger Team update meeting will take place at 16:00 CET on 4 September. Contact the Secretariat to register before 2 September 2026.
The Tiger Team is a group of technical experts drawn from ICES member countries that fish Northern Shelf cod and beyond. Chaired by Steven Cadrin (US), it includes members from our Working Group for the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak (WGNSSK) and additional specialists to ensure diverse expertise and geographic representation. ICES Advisory Committee Chair Colm Lordan coordinated selection in consultation with ACOM leadership and ICES Secretariat.
The team reviewed all available data and the current assessment framework. Based on that, two assessment approaches were explored exhaustively within the available timeframe. The multi-stock model, used since 2023, has been extensively validated (testing, simulations, sensitivity analyses) and can reliably recover population-specific dynamics from available data. An alternative single-stock model which had problematic retrospective patterns at the last benchmark has now substantially improved. Both approaches are considered technically viable and were put forward by the Tiger Team for independent review. The results of those reviews have now been considered by the Benchmark Oversight Group (BOG).
The outcome of the Advisory Committee (ACOM) decision and the next steps towards updating the assessment and the advice for Northern Shelf Cod will be shared with stakeholders.
For further information or to provide input, stakeholders are encouraged to contact ICES or follow updates on ICES website.
