Economics Issues (RCG ECON)

ISSG Social Variables

Background

[under construction]

General description

In 2024 the ISSG held a two days meeting with the main focus on the so-called “forthcoming” indicators — twelve social indicators identified by the STECF EWG 24-05 as indicators ready for inclusion in an EU data call. These indicators together with nine additional social variables proposed by the group are expected to be prioritized in pilot studies under the Work Plans Programming Period (2025–2027).

Social indicators were organized into four main categories:

• Social and Financial Status
• Working conditions
• Assessment of management measures
• Generational status

One of the main tasks for the ISSG is to design and coordinate the data collection procedures for the social indicators that MSs included in the 2025–2027 Work Plan.

Chairs: Angelos Liontakis (GRC), Maraja Riechers (DEU)

RCGs involved: ECON, Pan-regional

ISSG Valuation Capital Value

Background

The group was established in 2023 as the result of the Inventory of issues with PIM, carried during the RCG ECON 2022 meeting. The results indicated the need for collecting further information on PIM and alternative methods used in order to reach a higher harmonization for estimation of Capital value and Capital costs. Furthermore, it was highlighted the need to get further feedback on the valuation of fishing rights and to describe methods used more in detail in the Quality Report of the NWP. In the RCG ECON ISSG on the Regional Work Plan it was also emphasized the necessity to ensure consistency between the PIM estimations and other related variables, such as the investments.

General description

The group was set to deeper investigate and compare methods used for estimation of tangible and intangible capital assets and investments in the different national fishery data collections contexts.

After analysis of progress and the best practises across 18 MS, in 2026-2027 the group is focusing on harmonisation of statistical methods, and analyses of assumptions.

Chairs: Monica Gambino (ITA), Loretta Malvarosa (ITA)

RCGs involved: ECON, Pan-regional

ISSG Low active and active vessels

Background

[under construction]

General description

The main objective was to review the data sources and methodologies used by EU MSs for key variables and derived indicators related to fishing activity, particularly: DaS, maximum sea days a, sub-segmentation of fleets by activity levels (low Active Vs. active vessels) and VUR.

The goal was to assess data quality, consistency, and comparability across countries, to identify methodological issues and potential areas for harmonization and to improve relevance for policy-making.

Chairs: Olivier Guyader (FRA)

RCGs involved: ECON, Pan-regional

ISSG Methodological Issues

Background

The ISSG was established in 2024 following several recommendations issued by RCG ECON during their 2024 annual meeting.

General description

The aim of the ISSG is to advance the coordination and methodological consistency of the EU Fisheries Data Collection Framework by addressing five areas of focus. These areas include the valuation of capital and associated data challenges, the energy transition in both fisheries and aquaculture sectors, approaches to defining and analyzing low-active and active vessels, the enhancement of social data collection efforts, and the insights on the Regional Work Plan (RWP).

In 2025 the goals of this ISSG included:

• Harmonizing methodologies for valuing physical and intangible capital.
• Advancing data collection related to the energy transition in fisheries and aquaculture.
• Clarifying issues around low-active and active vessel classification.
• Improving the collection and comparability of social data.
• Reviewing outcomes from the ISSG Chairs questionnaire on the future RWP.

Chairs: Christos Danatskos (GRC)

RCGs involved: ECON, Pan-regional

ISSG Alternative Fleet Segmentation

Background

The ISSG Alternative Fleet Segmentation was first established in 2020 as a result of a PGECON 2019 recommendation, to investigate alternate methods of segmentation as defined by ‘fisheries’ rather than dominant gear. The initial idea is to investigate options for an alternative fleet segmentation with a closer link to stocks and types of fishing activities and less heterogeneous vessel groups. This segmentation method is well defined and easily applicable, but it does not adequately represent target fisheries. Vessels with similar technical parameters are often active in varying fisheries that differ in terms of catch composition, fishing activity, and cost structure.

General description

The novel segmentation approach is based on a hierarchical agglomerative clustering procedure that was transferred to an R package. Vessels are grouped based on target stocks and main gear. The approach was tested at two successive virtual workshops on fleets from about 15 MS. After the first WS, the approach was further fine-tuned, following participants’ suggestions. All fleets could be assigned to stock/catch-based clusters.

Further developments of the new approach to the segmentation of fishing fleets were developed in a DCF pilot project. Using the segmentation procedure, participants could derive fleet segments which appeared homogeneous and suitable for representing groups of vessels which perform similar fisheries. On the other hand, groups of polyvalent vessels with diverse and heterogeneous catch profiles hampered the application of the approach and thus the formation of segments. This is, however, not a limitation of the novel approach, but only the reflection of the diversity of the fishing fleet and can be solved by technically adjusting the clustering algorithm which is the central element of the segmentation approach.

The group continues with the development of the alternative segmentation approach to further analyse the issue of pre-segmenting by gear as well as the question of how to address the use of various gears by vessel (polyvalency). Additionally, the group intend to extend the analyses on the consistency of the segmentation result over longer time periods and the regional comparison of the resulting segments in order to assess if the novel approach also leads to results that may facilitate better quality regional analyses.

Chairs: Jörg Berkenhagen (DEU), Erik Sulanke (DEU)

RCGs involved: ECON, Pan-regional