Report of the Steering Group on Quality Assurance of Biological Measurements in the Northeast Atlantic (SGQAE)

The Terms of Reference of the 2003 meeting were as follows:

a) meet jointly with SGQAB on matters of common interest;

b) review progress in the application of JAMP guidelines and associated QA activities within Member Countries;

c) review and report on the success of relevant workshops/intercalibration exercises/ring tests, and document future events;

d) build upon links with other international agencies (e.g., ISO, CEN, EC) with an interest in QA/AQC of biological community measurements;

e) evaluate and report on QA/AQC issues relevant to the study of coastal fish communities;

f) review progress in the development and use of the ICES Biological Community Database;

g) explore and make recommendations on means for screening of biological (phytoplankton, phytobenthos, zoobenthos) data prior to the evaluation of trends;

h) further review existing criteria for determining the acceptability of biological sampling and analytical practices in monitoring programmes, and make recommendations for future improvements;

i) consider the QA/AQC implications arising from the application of an environmental indicator approach employing biological measures;

j) assess the final outcome of a questionnaire concerning QA of biological community measures in the ICES/OSPAR area, and make appropriate recommendations for follow-up action;

k) evaluate the outcome of a questionnaire concerning the conduct of primary production studies in the OSPAR/ICES/HELCOM area, and consider the implications for future monitoring strategies;

l) examine developments in the proposed follow-up to the BEQUALM scheme, and determine the benefits for data quality in the OSPAR/ICES/HELCOM area;

m) review progress in the preparation of taxonomic checklists as aids to the study of biological communities, and identify priorities for future action.