Report of the Benchmark Workshop on Baltic Salmon (WKBALTSalmon)

• Main Author: ICES (11907872)
• Format: Report
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Fisheries and aquaculture; Baltic Sea (ICES Ecoregion); salmon; Salmo salar; benchmark workshop; Baltic salmon; WKBALTSalmon; CM 2017/ACOM
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.19290404.v1

WKBALTSalmon 2017 convened into two workshops in ICES HQ Copenhagen. The data evaluation workshop was held 22–24 November 2016. Ten experts on Baltic salmon and trout (members of ICES WGBAST) complemented with three external observers attended the meeting. This first workshop focused on mapping and evaluation of available monitoring and fisheries data, and searched for possibilities to improve the coverage and quality of data for the Baltic salmon assessment. WKBALTSalmon also made an effort to correct shortcomings and inconsistencies in the dataseries of salmon and sea trout catches, discards and efforts from 1992–2015, and to transfer data into InterCatch (the ICES web-based database). The data evaluation workshop resulted in an updated description of available river monitoring data. In addition, shortcomings in fisheries data were specified and some outlining for an improvement work plan was done. Data transfer of commercial fisheries data to InterCatch largely failed because all countries did not manage to submit all required data and the whole intended time-series. As a result, InterCatch at present contains less fisheries data than the catch database currently used for the WGBAST stock assessment. The aim is to solve the catch data issues in connection with the next WGBAST data call (in late 2017). The data benchmark process also resulted in a time-series of preliminary offshore trolling catch estimates for all Baltic countries obtained through expert elicitation. The intention is to submit also recreational catch data (off-shore, coastal and river) into InterCatch within the next few years. The method evaluation workshop was held on 30 January–3 February 2017. Eleven experts complemented by two invited external expert reviewers and one observer at-tended. This second workshop focused on three major aspects: (i) stock–recruitment model selection, (ii) an evaluation of the 75% objective as a proxy for MSY, and (iii) development of a smolt production model for southern Baltic Sea salmon rivers. The benchmark ...