Mediterranean and Black Sea (RCG Med&BS)

SC Med&BS RDB

Background

The first Steering Committee meeting was held in 2012, the progress in the development of the regional database until 2021 (3rd SC meeting) was limited mainly related to the reluctance from MS on sharing data of lower aggregation levels.

In 2020, DG MARE launched the regional grants (MARE/2020/08), and one of the Annexes was dedicated to the development of a regional database for the Med & BS, RDBFIS project.

After a few years on hold the SC reconvened in 2025.

General description

One of the key tasks of the SC is to define the governance strategy for the regional database, and in particular to establish a long-term and sustainable hosting solution ensuring stability, transparency, and compliance with EU data management standards.

In collaboration with the RDBFIS consortium reviews the achievements and progress in the development of the regional database. The SC also outlines the future priorities for the regional database and how to tackle the main challenges. The SC also outlines the future priorities for the Regional Database and proposes practical approaches to address the main challenges related to data quality, access, and system compatibility.

The SC has established a rotation system among the MS for the chairmanship; the chair covers one year period. The chair coordinates intersessional activities, ensures follow-up on agreed actions, and represents the SC in communication with the RCG Med&BS.

Chairs: Dalibor Jelavić (HRV)

RCGs involved: Med&BS

End users

Background

The group was first established in 2018 and held the first meeting in 2019. The group was conceived to stir the central role of the RCG in supporting strategic planning, regional consistency, and practical coordination among all actors involved in data collection, validation, and use for fisheries management and policy.

General description

The group brings together representatives from Mediterranean and Black Sea Member States and the main end users (DG MARE, ICES, GFCM, JRC and STECF) of the Data Collection with the aim to improve mutual understanding of data requirements, identify pressure points in the reporting system, and propose pragmatic steps towards streamlining data flows between national systems and end-user institutions.

Chairs: TBD

RCGs involved: Med&BS

Sampling optimization

Background

The Intersessional Subgroup (ISSG) on Sampling Optimization was established within the RCG Med & Black Sea 2018, to answer to the need to set up a network of experts to be trained and use the tool developed under STREAM and STREAMLINE projects on sampling stratification and optimization of biological commercial data.

General description

The group focuses on applying existing optimization tools to support the preparation of National Work Plans and future Regional Work Plans. Building on methodologies developed under STREAM and STREAMLINE and applied in ICES WGBIOPTIM, the subgroup coordinates case studies to test the application of SDTool, BioSim, and related approaches in different Mediterranean and Black Sea contexts.

Several case studies in the Black Sea, Italy, and Greece have demonstrated how sampling optimization can improve efficiency while maintaining data quality.

Chairs: Isabella Bitetto (ITA)

RCGs involved: Med&BS

Recreational Fisheries

Background

The collection of recreational fisheries data in the Med&BS region is limited and the lack of reliable estimates of catch and effort data hinder their inclusion to any stock management attempt, with implications for fisheries management. Recreational fisheries data collection across RCG Med&BS MS differs from one MS to another. As a result, the ISSG on Scientific network on recreational fisheries was established in [year] to advance on a regionally coordinated approach.

Besides, the EU Fisheries Control Regulation includes reporting obligations for recreational fisheries from 2026, particularly electronic recording and reporting for fishers catching species subject to Union conservation measures.

General description

The group agreed the minimum requirements of the sampling scheme included in the RWP 2025-2027:

• the estimation of the population of recreational fishers by segment and sub-region and
• the identification and listing of priority species by subregion, using a multispecies approach and allowing the use of a variety of off-site and/or on-site methods.

The main tasks for the group are:

1. The final estimation of the number of recreational fishers by segment (shore, boat, spear fishing) and sub-region for all Med&BS MS.
2. Define a final list of priority species by sub-region for all Med&BS MS for the estimation of “catches”, and “releases”.
3. Define a list of vulnerable species incidentally caught in recreational fisheries by sub-region.

The roadmap of the Recreational Fisheries data collection for the next years is aimed to be approved during the 2026 RCG Med&BS annual meeting.

Chairs: Manos Koutrakis (GRC), Martina Scanu (ITA)

RCGs involved: Med&BS

PETs bycatch

Background

[under construction]

General description

[under construction]

Chairs: Jan Potočnik Erzin (SVN)

RCGs involved: Med&BS

Stomachs

Background

The stomach contents data collection and analysis coordinated at regional level in the Med&BS has started only recently. The intersessional subgroup on Scientific network on fish stomachs collection and analysis was first established in [year]

General description

The group coordinates a new data collection protocol focused on a cyclical analysis (3-year rolling scheme) on a group of key demersal species. This would enable studies on the temporal dynamics of predator-prey interactions and support the accurate parameterization for multispecies assessment models, in line with the objectives of CFP and EUMAP.

The group agreed sampling protocols to investigate a wide part of the demersal fish assemblages in alignment with ICES.
One of the main tasks of the group is to develop a new sampling scheme for the RWP 2028-2030.

Chairs: Paolo Sartor (ITA), Cristina Follesa (ITA)

RCGs involved: Med&BS

Quality

Background

[under construction]

General description

[under construction]

Chairs: Kostas Touloumis (GRC)

RCGs involved: Med&BS

RWP

Background

[under construction]

General description

[under construction]

Chairs: Charis Charilaou (CYP)

RCGs involved: Med&BS