Minutes of the meeting of the ICES Advisory Committee (ACOM), December 2021

The Advisory Committee of ICES met in hybrid form in ICES HQ and online. ACOM considered and took decisions on a range of operational and strategic issues. These included, risk in ICES advice, the need for advice on other anthropogenic pressures on fish stocks and the recording conservation status. Fisheries Reference points and data limited approaches were further discussed and timeline determined for operationalising findings. Concern was raised about the reduction in the use of the transparent assessment framework. Tangible steps on broadening advice into spatial products and maps, and social and economic knowledge in advice have been made. The results of the productivity audit were shared, and progress reported on the creation of a stakeholder engagement strategy. The Joint ACOM SCICOM EBM group reported. ACOM noted the development of advice online and addressed recommendations from expert groups. Decisions were taken on the management objectives bycatch of threatened, protected and sensitive species resulting in a clear statement on management objectives. The developing process for fish list of species of bycatch concern was clarified. A focus group was run on sharing alternative perceptions of fish stock dynamics was run. More broad planning took place about the work in 2022 and the further provision of guidelines and the activities of the benchmark oversite group.