Report of the Working Group on Mackerel and Horse Mackerel Egg Surveys (WGMEGS),

The Working Group on Mackerel and Horse Mackerel Egg Surveys (WGMEGS) is responsible for the planning, data collection and data analysis of the ICES Triennial mackerel and horse mackerel egg surveys. 2013 is the year of the actual survey and the WG performs its duties by correspondence.
The outcomes for 2013 are as follows: The results of the two Workshops on Egg staging, Fecundity and Atresia in Horse mackerel and Mackerel (WKFATHOM; 8–11 October, Vigo and 5–9 November, 2012, IJmuiden) were considered and incorporated into the 2013 survey. The recommendations and the actions taken on these work-shops are detailed in this report. In general all the recommendations were accepted and implemented during the surveys in 2013.
Planning for the 2013 survey was fine-tuned. Although the broad planning of the 2013 survey was undertaken during the 2012 planning WG, amendments to individual survey dates as well as the welcome arrival of an additional survey ensured that additional planning and coordination were required during the interim period. This ensured that the geographical and temporal coverage for the 2013 survey was as comprehensive as possible given the limited vessel resources at our disposal. All changes to the original survey plan produced in the planning WG in 2012 have been incorporated into the 2013 WGMEGS report. In 2013 Portugal, Spain, Ireland, UK/Scotland, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, the Faroe Islands and Iceland are participating in the egg survey.
The next meeting of WGMEGS will be held in Reykjavik, MRI (Iceland), in April 2014.