The biology, distribution and state of exploitation of shared stocks in the North Sea area
At its November 1976 Meeting NEAFC decided to request ICES to submit as soon as possible information on stocks shared between zones of extended fisheries jurisdiction, their biology and the fisheries based on them. This request was referred to the various Assessment Working Groups of the Council, and they in turn incorporated the tasks in their working schedule during the first part of 1977. The relevant data and information provided by the Working Groups were included as Appendices to their Assessment Reports which as such formed part of the documentation for ICES Statutory Meeting in September/October 1977.
In conformity with the responsibility for submitting the advice of ICES to NEAFC, the Liaison Committee, after careful evaluation of the data and information provided on this subject, found it necessary in the time available to limit the scope and coverage of the present report to major stocks in the North Sea, Shared stocks in other parts of the Convention Area will be dealt with in another report to be submitted later.
The North-East Atlantic is renowned as an area with long-standing and intensive fisheries investigations. In spite of this, the Liaison Committee noted that for many stocks much basic biological information is still needed. The Parties concerned may find it opportune to make further use of the services of ICES to provide the necessary biological information to assist them in their efforts to solve the management and the allocation problems.
