Report of the Working Group on the Assessment of Demersal Stocks in the Baltic

In accordance with a resolution adopted at the 81st Statutory Meeting in Dublin (C.Res.1993/2.6.8) the Working Group met at ICES Headquarters from 13-21 April 1994 to: 

a) assess the status of and provide catch options for 1995 for the cod stocks in the Baltic (including Sub-division 23);

b) assess the status of and provide catch options for 1995 for the cod stock in the Kattegat and sole stocks in Division IIIa;

c) update the description of the fisheries for demersal stocks in the Baltic Sea which was provided in 1992, including an evaluation of the impacts of the gillnet fishery;

d) provide information on the state of flatfish stocks in the Baltic and, if possible, carry out an assessment of the flounder stocks; 

e) provide information on the state of flatfish stocks in the Baltic and, if possible, carry out an assessment of the flounder stocks;

f) identify the available data to quantify the pattern and rate of migration of cod between the Kattegat and different parts of the Baltic;

g) review the 199 report of the working group on Multispecies Assessment of Baltic Fish;

h) prepare for the transfer of the Group's work to an area-based Working Group;

i) recompile data on catches in tonnes, catches in numbers at age, and mean weights at age by quarter and sub-division for cod in order to resolve present inconsistencies between data sets used in single species and multispecies assessments.