Report of the Benchmark Workshop on Deep-water Species (WKDEEP)

The WKDEEP 2010 Benchmark Workshop was held at the ICES secretariat, Copenhagen from February 17–24 2010. The Workshop was chaired by Richard Hillary (Australia.),  with  support  from  ICES  Coordinators  Tom  Blasdale  (UK)  and  Phil  Large (UK), and involved 24 participants. The primary objectives of the Workshop were to evaluate  the  appropriateness  of  the  data  and  methods  available  for  the  following  stocks: greater forkbeard in the Northeast Atlantic, tusk in Division Va, deep‐water squaliform sharks in the Northeast Atlantic, red (blackspot) sea bream in Subarea X, greater  silver  smelt in  the  Northeast  Atlantic,  and  roundnose  grenadier in  Division  Vb and Subareas VI and VII; and also to discuss possible improvements on the assessment methodologies. The Stock Annexes are the most important product of this process,  with  each  annex  containing  all  relevant  information  that  the  Benchmark  Workshop participants have identified as current best practice assessment inputs and models,  providing  sufficient  detail  to  ensure  that  future  assessment  scientists  can  readily identified the basis for advice.