The RCG NANSEA & Baltic – Regional Work Plan Workshop 2026, chaired by Els Torreele and Maria Hansson, took place from 19 to 21 January 2026, hosted in hybrid format at Innovocean Ostend (ILVO), Belgium, with broad participation from Member States, ISSG Chairs, and technical experts connected online. The event brought together the regional community to advance cooperation and prepare the foundations for the Regional Work Plan (RWP) 2028–2030.
A central part of the workshop focused on reviewing the General Chapter and Textbox 1b, ensuring the information is up to date, coherent across regions, and reflective of pan‑regional collaboration needs. Participants highlighted the importance of maintaining clear references to end‑users, aligning methodologies, and strengthening coordination both within and across RCGs.
Another key theme was the review of the Levels of Ambition (LoA) infographic. ISSGs worked on refining existing topics, identifying outdated elements, and considering whether certain themes might be merged, while acknowledging that not all topics lend themselves to consolidation. Participants agreed that ambition levels should motivate progress but not function as binding requirements, and that not all groups should aim for the maximum level due to differences between Member States, feasibility constraints, and the varied nature of data sources. Defining the meaning of each level within the context of each ISSG was seen as an important step to ensuring realistic and functional ambition pathways.
Cross‑cutting discussions also addressed the evolving role of the ISSG Electronic Monitoring Technologies (EMT) and emerging tools such as AI‑based image processing. Discussions pointed to the need for clearer definitions, better alignment across Member States, and an understanding of the legal and practical constraints that shape EMT adoption. Harmonisation of sampling methodologies and improved data formats were also highlighted as shared objectives across ISSGs.
ISSGs presented updates on their ongoing work, including methodological revisions, ambition level adjustments, planned case studies, and identification of remaining data gaps. Participants recognised the value of cross‑regional communication for ensuring consistency and strengthening the scientific basis of regional data collection.
The chairs closed the workshop by confirming that the objectives had been fully achieved and by outlining next steps, including follow‑up meetings in the spring and preparation of the first draft of the RWP in May.
