Publication Abstract

The core objectives of The Working Group for International Pelagic Surveys (WGIPS) are to combine and review results of annual pelagic ecosystem surveys to provide indices for the stocks of herring, sprat, mackerel, boarfish, and blue whiting in the Northeast Atlantic, Nor-wegian Sea, North Sea, and Western Baltic; and to coordinate timing, coverage and method-ologies for upcoming surveys.

Results from all WGIPS surveys as well as coordination plans for multinational pelagic acoustic surveys and individual surveys were the primary focus of the meetings over the past 3 years. For this reporting period the group revised survey protocols and updated these to the new TIMES format for ICES survey protocols, which is expected to be published in the sum-mer 2024.

The group continued to take an active part in the development of databases used to store data from surveys in WGIPS, development and use of the acoustic survey analysis software “StoX” and adopting the ICES Transparent Assessment Framework (TAF) for archiving and documenting acoustic index calculations. The group maintains close collaboration with the ICES Data Centre and StoX development team.

Annual sessions focused on progress in using genetic stock separation methods for splitting survey results to component herring stocks and discussing ways forward for continuous de-velopment of these methods while maintaining the integrity of the survey indices. WGIPS continues to work closely with assessment working groups and institutes carrying out genetic analysis work.

WGIPS has followed the progress on mesopelagic fish sampling in the International Blue Whiting Spawning Survey (IBWSS) including the new net developments and experiences with using a Methot Isaac Kidd (MIK) net to target scattering layers.

The group worked with ICES Working group on Acoustic Trawl Data Portal Governance (WGAcousticGov) on documenting the sampling strategies used in WGIPS surveys with the purpose of optimizing the data portal. Finally, the group continued annual sessions for pre-senting auxiliary monitoring of ecosystem components beyond the standard fishery survey results of target species.

The next reporting period the group will continue to focus on these core areas.

Urbano Autón; Florian Berg; Sigurvin Bjarnason; Bram Couperus; Sven Gastauer; Arne Johannes Holmin; Eydna í Homrum; Cecilie Kvamme; Steven Mackinson; Susan Mærsk Lusseau; Gavin McNeill; Steven O'Connell; Ciaran O'Donnell; Michael O'Malley; Gudmundur J. Oskarsson; Hector Peña; Are Salthaug; Matthias Schaber; Leon Smith; Jeroen van der Kooij*; Sindre Vatnehol

Working Group on International Pelagic Surveys (WGIPS)