Report of the Study Group on Herring Assessment and Biology in the Irish Sea and Adjacent Waters

The Study Group met at the Aquatic Sciences Research

Division in Belfast, Northern Ire1and from 21 - 25 February

1994. The Terms of Reference (C.Res.1993/2:36)

were as folIows:

a) investigate the stock structure in the herring management units in the lrish Sea and their relation to stocks in adjacent areas;

b) revise existing data bases if it were found necessary to carry out assessments for stocks/areas other than those in existence at present

c) examine all available survey data with a view to obtaining recruitment indices for appropriate stockslmanagement units;

d) suggest and plan necessary research programmes

to improve the present assessment of herring stocks in this area;

e) report to the 1994 meetings of the Herring Assessment Working Group for the Area South of 62°N and the Study Group on Stock Identification Protocols for Finfish and Shellfish Stocks.