Report of the Planning Group on Northeast Atlantic Pelagic Ecosystem Surveys (PGNAPES)

The Planning Group on Northeast Atlantic Pelagic Ecosystem Surveys (PGNAPES) met in Galway, Ireland 16–18 August 2005. This report presents the acoustic, hydrographic, plankton, and fish sampling results from two main international ICES coordinated surveys in 2005. The International blue whiting spawning stock survey on the spawning grounds west of the British Isles in March-April 2005 with participation of Norway, Faroes, Russia and the Netherlands along with Ireland (EU coordinated), and International ecosystem survey in the Nordic Seas with main focus on Norwegian spring-spawning herring and blue whiting in the Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea in May 2005 with participation of Denmark (EU coordinated), Faroes, Iceland, Norway, and Russia. In addition the Norwegian Sea was covered during June-July and in August 2005. The survey results include the distribution and the biomass estimate of spawning blue whiting in March-April west of the British Isles, and the distribution, migration and stock estimates of Norwegian spring-spawning herring and blue whiting, and the environment (oceanographic conditions and biomass of zooplankton) of

the Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea and adjacent waters in spring and summer of 2005. The abundance estimates are used in the fish stock assessment of Norwegian spring spawning herring and blue whiting in ICES Northern Pelagic and Blue Whiting Fisheries Working Group (WGNPBW). The collection of environmental data further improves the basis for ecosystem modelling of the Northeast Atlantic. Broad plans for the ICES coordinated surveys for 2006 are also outlined with descriptions of the relevant protocols, preliminary participants and suggested survey designs.