Report of the Inter-benchmark Protocol on Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in divisions 8.ab (Bay of Biscay North and Central) (IBPBass 2018) July–September 2018 By correspondence

• Main Author: ICES
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00585/69738/67627.pdf; https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00585/69738/

The ICES Inter-benchmark protocol for sea bass in ICES subareas 8.a and b (IBPBass) was held by correspondence between July and 15 September 2018. The meeting was chaired by Höskuldur Björnsson, Iceland, reviewed by Niels Hintzen, Netherlands, and attended by three participants from two nations (France and UK). The ICES Inter-benchmark was conducted to set the reference points, if possible, for this recently benchmarked stock (WKBass; ICES, 2018). This report is structured around the terms of reference covering this point. The Inter-benchmark concluded that the stock–recruitment relationship is type 6 (ICES, 2017a). Due to a lack of contrast in the data and the narrow range in landings and estimated recruitment, biomass reference points are very constraining.