Report of the Working Group on Multispecies Assessment Methods (WGSAM)

This is the fourth report of the pan-regional Working Group on Multispecies Assess-ment Methods (WGSAM). The group met at AZTI Tecnalia in San Sebastian, Spain and reviewed ongoing multispecies and ecosystem modelling activities in each ICES ecoregion (including the North Sea, Baltic Sea, Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean, Iceland, Barents/Norwegian Seas, and eastern USA). The participants provided an updated inventory, to supplement the information collated in 2007–2009 (ToR ‘a’ and ‘b’). New information was presented for Iceland, Barents Sea, North Sea, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, Bay of Biscay, Adriatic Sea, Baltic Sea, Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, Southern New England and Middle Atlantic Bight. The group reviewed a key run for the Barents Sea and in addition compiled a summary dataset of natural mortalities, stock numbers and biomasses of the modelled species which will be available for download with the report. The key run-concept was further developed and a summary sheet produced which will accompany future key runs.