Workshop on research needs and a roadmap for further research on cod in the northern shelf seas (including cod in the Celtic Seas) (WKRRCOD)

The Workshop on research needs and a roadmap for further research on cod in the northern shelf seas (including cod in the Celtic Seas) (WKRRCOD) met in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 1–2 November 2022 to identify evidence needs necessary to achieve management objectives of cod fisheries, share plans for assessments and consider ways to incorporate further knowledge in the advisory process. A total of 35 participants discussed the terms of reference in breakout groups an identified the objectives as a need for good fisheries governance and management that balances social, ecological, economic considerations in management based on agreed perceptions of stock status. The challenges were identified as the Landing Obligation, the use of advice by managers, lack of agreement on stock status, unclear consideration of the effects of changes in cod distribution and inclusion of information from the fishery among other issues. The workshop concluded with six recommendations to address these challenges relating to how industry data can be quality assured and incorporated in the benchmark and assessment process, how the benchmark process can become more transparent to end users, how knowledge from industry can be used to improve assessments through pre-assessment meetings, how managers can become more involved in the advice process and finally how the experience from WKRRCOD can be used for other species.