Towards accreditation and certification of age determination of aquatic resources (TACADAR)

The CA aimed to increase the adoption of procedures for age estimation that include quality assurance and quality control mechanisms, for the improvement of stock assessment and environmental management techniques. The overall objective was increase reliability of age estimation procedures in the European Community, compatible with the possibility of the future establishment of European wide international fisheries laboratories. The ultimate objective was to stimulate the achievement of a higher level of quality within and integration between the partner institutes concerning fish age estimation. Methods for age estimation will be achieved where more than one method is applied in the total data input for a stock assessment or an environmental management model.

The goals have been to strength, through a network of excellence, of the competitive position of European institutions involved in fish ageing, promoting institutional synergy and international co-operation. Improvement of dissemination of information about activities and results to the European institutes of fisheries science and fish ecology engaged in age estimation activities. TACADAR have developed a guideline for manual in Quality assurance and standardised practices in age estimation to be applied on the European level. This has involved statistical criteria as well as an evaluation of legal aspects of accreditation and certification and implications for the EU.