Baltic (RCG Baltic)

ISSG End users and RCG

Background

The group was established to review and streamline dialogue between data providers (RCGs) and end users (ICES, Commission) in order to identify effective processes to meet end-user needs and allow the RCG to prioritize its activity relating to future data collections, storage and transmission functions.

General description

The main goal of the group is to maintain an effective communication channel between end users and the RCG. Annual information meetings between ICES, Commission and RCG chairs are held to ensure good cooperation and to be able to follow the progress over time.

Chairs: Chairs of the RCG NANSEA and RCG Baltic

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG Transversal issues

Background

The group has been ongoing since 2018, starting with a workshop discussing the methods used to assign métier codes to transversal data, issues and best practices, and the following years as an RCG ISSG.

General description

Since 2021, the group changed name to ‘ISSG on Métier and transversal variables issues”, also including tasks related to the definition and calculation of transversal variables dealing with issues and best practices. The group manages a list of métier codes and reference lists used for assigning the metiers.

Chairs: Josefine Egekvist (DNK), Sébastien Demanèche (FRA)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG Recreational

Background

Recreational fisheries data is collected by individual Member States (MS) according to the Basic Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the multiannual data collection framework (EU) 2016/1251 and the control regulation EC (NO) 1224/2009. However, there is no standardization between countries and in general there is no one-size fits all approach due to the diverse nature of the sector and cultural differences. Challenges in recreational fisheries data collection are data gaps (no data collected), periodicity of surveys (no time series), and single instead of multispecies surveys. Also often lacking is economic and social data to evaluate the sectoral contribution and ensure fisheries are ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable.

ISSG Recreational Fisheries was established in 2021, because the RCG NANSEA and RCG Baltic needed progress with regional sampling plans for Marine Recreational Fisheries (MRF). The EU-MAP states the relevance of the regional approach for these fisheries, including evaluating end users’ needs for biological data collection, coordinating national surveys of MRF, and defining potential thresholds. Although the new regulation has a pre-defined list of species per region, there are several important MRF target species that are not on the list.

General description

ISSG Recreational Fisheries aims to harmonize recreational fisheries data collection particularly on a regional level. For this subgroup to work properly, it is needed to ensure that the right people are involved, including experts from WGRFS, DCF, and RCG ECON. National Correspondents (NC) need to be approached to ensure that relevant bodies are contacted to ensure expert participation.

This ISSG aims to fit on preparatory work for decision making, including input for Regional Work Plans (RWPs). The ISSG Recreational Fisheries coordinates with the relevant ICES EG (WGRFS). ISSG Recreational Fisheries focuses on defining a species list at a regional level, working on regional sampling plans for shared stocks, and making MRF data available for advice.

Chairs: Harry V. Strehlow (DEU), Eneko Bachiller (ESP)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG CS pelagic freezer trawlers NEA

Background

The EU freezer trawler fleet targeting small pelagic species (mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, sprat and argentine) in the North Atlantic and North Sea was identified by the RCG as a potential candidate for the development of a regionally coordinated sampling plan. As a result, the ISSG was first established in 2019.

General description

The fleet comprising mainly Dutch, German, UK and French flagged vessels is sampled currently by the Netherlands and Germany.

The primary aim of this subgroup is to propose a statistically robust regional sampling plan for the European pelagic freezer trawler fleet to be considered for inclusion in a regional workplan.

Chairs: Harriet van Overzee (NLD), Jens Ulleweit (DEU)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG Surveys

Background

This ISSG was first established in 2016 and mainly deals with the cost-sharing of research surveys-at-sea under the DCF EU-MAP. In addition, the group monitors implications of external factors on surveys from a DCF perspective and reacts when appropriate and requested.

General description

The ISSG links to the regionalisation process within and act as focal point for RCG contact. One of the main aims of the group is to review proposed substantial changes to the design, set-up or other aspects of surveys having an impact on MS’s Work Plans, effort and/or budget allocation, or obligations. The ISSG contributes to Regional Work Plans with regard to surveys and finally also discuss new challenges in fishery-independent data collection due to usage and protection of marine areas.

Chairs: Sieto Verver (NLD), Christoph Stransky (DEU)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG Diad

Background

The intersessional subgroup for diadromous was first developed as ‘diadromous sub group’ under RCG BALTIC /NANSEA (RCG DSG) in September 2017, which was then transformed into a full pan-regional ISSG on diadromous fishes in late 2019. The ISSG diadromous fishes is a specialised subgroup focusing on coordination and advice of data collection and regional workplans on diadromous fishes (primarily eel, salmon, sea trout) in line with the DCF regulations.

General description

The ISSG Diad focuses on improving assessment-driven data collection for diadromous fishes under the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF) and on strengthening the interaction between data end-users and experts in diadromous fish data collection. The group promotes direct input from end-users, such as ICES expert groups and workshops, STECF, and RFMOs, on specific data needs to improve stock assessments, harmonise methodologies, and address regional differences and challenges in data collection. The group’s overall objective is to ensure that end-user requirements for diadromous fishes are reflected in national and regional work plans, thereby providing suitable data for the best possible scientific basis for management and policy advice. This includes data from both commercial and recreational fisheries as well as fisheries-independent information such as those stemming from electrofishing and recruitment monitoring.

The tasks of the ISSG Diad include identifying and describing end-user needs in terms of variables, frequency, and intensity of data collection, coordinating these needs at regional level to promote harmonised approaches, and suggesting realistic timeframes for implementation. Given the broad range of diadromous fishes with diverse life cycles, habitats, and stock structures, the work of the ISSG relies on continuous exchange within the organisational structures of the RCGs and with identified end-users.

Chairs: Marko Freese (DEU) (since 2020), Josefin Sundin (SWE) (since 2024), Simon Weltersbach (DEU) (since 2024).

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG CS small pelagics Baltic

Background

In [year] RCG Baltic agreed to use the fisheries for small pelagic species as a case study for the development of a regional sampling programme in the Baltic Sea. The pelagic fisheries target western Baltic herring, central Baltic herring, herring in Gulf of Bothnia, herring in Gulf of Riga and sprat.

General description

The main aim of the group is to establish and implement a regional sampling programme for small pelagics in the Baltic. Regionalization understood as a step approach with different target levels or steps along the process, that go from “no coordination” to “common monitoring strategy” and “joint data collection”. This gradient naturally entails a different capability of sampling to meet the needs of national and regional end-users.
The case study for small pelagics in the Baltic Sea has been included in the 2025-2027 Baltic Regional Work Plan.

Chairs: Marie Storr-Paulsen (DNK), Katja Ringdahl (SWE)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG SSF

Background

The intersessional subgroup evaluation of the data collected for the Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF), was established in 2019 with the aim of improving coordination in the collection of SSF data, in order to improve the knowledge of these fisheries.

General description

The aim of the group is to identify the data to be collected based on the needs of the main end-users. The regional coordination approach is the best way to carry out the analysis in compliance with regulations like the EUMAP, where the necessary data are identified for sustainable fisheries management in accordance with the Common Fisheries Policy and, in this case, for Small-Scale Fisheries. Additionally, the information on activity collected within this ISSG can also be used to address other relevant EU directives, such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Marine Spatial Planning, Habitats and Birds Directives.

The work of the group is carried out in collaboration with the main ICES working groups focused on issues related to commercial fisheries sampling methodologies (e.g., WGCATCH).Additionally, there is also PANREGIONAL collaboration with other RCGs (e.g., Med & Black Sea, RCG ECON) where knowledge of these fisheries is also important.

Chairs: Estanis Mugerza (ESP), Maksims Kovsars (LVA)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG EMT

Background

The intersessional subgroup on Electronic Monitoring Technologies was established in 2021, under the umbrella of RCG NANSEA and RCG Baltic, to ensure that initiatives made on developing new electronic technologies and the use of these technologies to improve fisheries data collection in EU Member States as well as initiatives made in third countries are disseminated. In 2025, during the Liaison Meeting it was decided to broaden the scope for the ISSG to be pan regional and include experts from other regions.

General description

As a first step the group initiated the development of an itinerary of the use of the following data collection technologies:

• Electronic monitoring (EM)
• Machine learning development, e.g., for automatic species identification and catch weight estimations in real-time
• Electronic measuring boards
• eDNA for species identification, etc.

Second step would be initiation of cooperation whenever possible for cost efficiency in fisheries data collection by the use of electronic technologies.

Chairs: Gildas Glemarec (DBK), Sander Delacauw (BEL – ILVO)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic, Med&BS

ISSG NC

Background

The ISSG National Correspondents (ISSG NC) was first established in 2020, as an initiative of the RCGs NANSEA and Baltic. National correspondents from NANSEA and Baltic Member States are the participants of this group.

One of the first tasks of the ISSG NC was to amend the rules of procedure (RoPs) for the RCG NANSEA and RCG Baltic, since both RCGs decided to hold their annual meetings back-to-back. As a result, RCG NANSEA and RCG Baltic have combined RoPs.

General description

Over the years the group has assessed the viability of making the ISSG NC work more pan regional to address common issues. To achieve this, the group liaises between different RCGs, and national correspondents from other Member States outside NANSEA and Baltic areas are invited to discussions when needed.

Chairs: Anja Boye (DNK), Anna Hasslow (SWE), Sieto Verver (NLD)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic, Pan-regional

ISSG Stomach sampling

Background

Fundamental changes in the importance of natural versus fishing induced mortality have been observed in the North Atlantic while moving towards maximum sustainable yield (MSY) management targets.

Back in 2014 the FishPi project (EU MARE/2014/19) concluded that the lack of coordination in different stomach sampling campaigns in the North Sea led to unbalanced sampling effort resulting in a lack of statistically sound sampling of all key species needed for food web characterization and ultimately a barrier for moving towards an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF).

Consequently, the intersessional subgroup for the regionally coordinated stomach sampling was established in 2019 to improve this situation.

General description

The main aim and purpose of this group is the development, implementation and coordination of a regionally coordinated stomach sampling plan in the North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat.

This sampling programme has started in 2022 through a coordinated stomach sampling campaign during the North Sea International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) in quarters 1 and 3 and this group will work on the further establishment of this programme and a subsequent system for stomach content analysis, data processing and coordination.

Chairs: Pierre Cresson (FRA), Matthias Bernreuther (DEU)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic

ISSG Regional overviews

Background

The intersessional subgroup on RDB catch, effort and sampling overviews (former name of this group) was established in 2018 to streamline and facilitate the work on the fisheries and sampling data of the MS and prepare data overviews in advance of the RCG meetings. Before the subgroup was set up, the different RCG conducted data analysis and overviews separately with minimal exchange, resulting in redundancies and efficiency loss. Furthermore, a substantial part of the work was being carried out during the RCG meetings themselves and so not readily available to inform RCG preparation and meeting discussions.

General description

RDBES data are used to produce fisheries and sampling overviews which are intended to support the analysis and resolution of specific issues raised and discussed within RCGs, for which technical decisions are required. In addition, they will provide a regional overview that can inform discussions on how to implement or improve the sampling at regional level. Additionally, as a request from the RCG the group is also working in producing figures about the landings in foreign countries in order to identify the need for bilateral agreements. Therefore, it is essential that the specific requirements and priorities of the RCGs are clearly communicated to this ISSG, to ensure that these outputs are produced in alignment with their intended use and decision-making needs.

The tasks and code developed in the subgroup work are present in the RCG-RDBES-Overviews GitHub repository which is used collaboratively by the ISSG members.

Chairs: Ana Cláudia Fernandes (PRT), Lucía Zarauz (ESP)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic, LDF

ISSG RWP

Background

[under construction]

General information

[under construction]

Chairs: Maria Hansson (SWE), Els Torreele (BEL)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic, Pan-regional

ISSG ETPs

Background

The intersessional subgroup for the optimization of case studies for Endangered, Threatened and Protected and Species (ETPs) bycatch sampling and monitoring was first established with the aim of improving coordination in the collection of ETPs bycatch data at regional level.

General description

The main tasks that have been carried out during the last years have been to identify potential sampling and monitoring needs concerning the bycatch of Endangered, Threatened and Protected (ETP) species. This includes the consideration of high-risk fisheries as identify by ICES WGBYC in relation to these ETP species by fisheries métier and ecoregion. Based on these needs, this ISSG works on identifying the adequate sampling and monitoring coverage needed, considering the Member States involved in these fisheries and ecoregions. In addition, the most appropriate sampling methodologies for the bycatch of ETP species for each fishery are discussed, but also in improving and standardizing sampling protocols, between different institutes carrying these sampling and monitoring programmes.

In addition, potential case studies for regionally coordinated sampling programmes for the bycatch of ETP species have also been identified. Much of this work is being done in collaboration with the main ICES working groups involved in these issues (e.g., WGBYC, WGCATCH). Additionally, there is also PANREGIONAL collaboration with the rest of the RCGs (e.g., Med & Black Sea, Large Pelagics etc.) where ETP species bycatch is also a hot topic.

Chairs: Estanis Mugerza (ESP), Christian von Dorrien (DEU)

RCGs involved: NANSEA, Baltic