Report of the North Sea Roundfish Working Group - Part 1 of 2

The terms of reference tor this Working Group are given in C.Res.1987/2:3:13:

"The North Sea Armstrong) will Roundfish Working Group (Chairman: Mr D.W. meet in Aberdeen from 18-29 April 1988 to:

a) describe the areas of distribution of the stocks assessed and the areas of the various fisheries exploiting these stocks and evaluate the validity of the present stock unit definitions for assessment and management purposes;

b) assess the status of and provide catch options for 1989 within safe biological limits for the stocks of cod, haddock, whiting, and saithe in Sub-areas IV and VI (including Division lIla for saithe); cod, haddock, and whiting in Divisions Vlld,e and Divisions Vllb,c,h-k (including Division VIIg tor haddock); and saithe in Sub-area VII; and stock mean on the relative for cod, haddock, for 1986 and 1987 as

c) provide quarterly catch-at-age and catch weight-at-age data and information distribution at different ages by quarter whiting, and saithe in the North Sea input for the multispecies VPA;

d) assess the effects of the cod box in the German Bight;

e) consider and propose technical measures to improve the exploitation pattern for North Sea cod."