The ICES working group on biology and assessment of deep-sea fisheries resources (WGDEEP) provides scientific advice on 30 assessment units including stocks of deep-water species and those on shelf areas. Advice is provided in time intervals of 1 to 5 years for different stocks, with 1- and 2-years intervals as the most common.  

First draft of advice was prepared for 17 stocks this year. Available time-series for international landings and discards, fishing effort, survey indices and biological information were updated for all stocks and are presented in Sections 4–16 of the report.  

A request from the UK and EU about the allocation of advice to different management units for roundnose grenadiers was addressed. A response from the meeting was prepared to be provided to ACOM.

Exploratory assessments were presented to the meeting for tusk and ling in subareas 1 and 2 using length-based spawning potential ratio (LBSPR), and for black spot seabream in area 10 applying both surplus production models (SPiCT and JABBA) and length-based analysis (LBSPR and LBI indicators). In addition, an exploratory data-limited assessment on a stock where recreational fisheries are apparent was presented (Atlantic halibut in Norway).