Report of the Study Group on the Development of Fishery-Based Forecasts (SGDFF)

The Study Group on the Development of Fishery-based Forecasts [SGDFF] (Chair: P. Marchal, France) met in Ostend, Belgium, from 27-30 January 2004 to:

a) further develop, test and apply appropriate model(s) for fishery-based forecasts;
b) define, in consultation with the Chairs of Working Groups on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the North Sea and Skagerrak, the Assessment of Northern Shelf Demersal Stocks, the Assessment of Southern Shelf Demersal Stocks, the Assessment of Southern Shelf Stocks of Hake, Monk, and Megrim, and Nephrops Stocks, workable groupings of fishing voyages at the most appropriate aggregation level (fleet, fishery or metier);
c) compile, for recent years, effort data and the international catch-at-age data as specified in b). The Group should consider fisheries exploiting stocks assessed by the Working Groups referred to in b).