REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH ... - Iccat

SCRS PLENARY SESSIONS 9 to 1713.1 Annual Work Plans for 2009The rapporteurs presented the 2009 Work Plans for the various Species Groups. These Plans were adopted andare attached as Appendix 5.13.2 Inter-sessional meetings proposed for 2009Taking into account the assessments mandated by the Commission in 2009 and 2010, and the Committee'srecommendations for research coordination and stock monitoring, the proposed inter-sessional meetings for 2009 areshown in Table 13.1.The Committee decided that the Methods Working Group meet for five days early in 2009 (around March) toaddress the following terms of reference:1) Make progress towards the completion of a CPUE Standardization Manual2) Evaluate, through simulation or other means, the merits of alternative CPUE standardization methods thataim to take the following into account:a) Changes in species targetingb) Overlap between fishing gear and species distribution/behavior ("habitat-based standardization")3) Evaluate alternative methods for estimating species composition, with emphasis on tropical tunas4) Investigate the influence of life history characteristics, environmental variability and gear selectivity onStatus Determination with respect to the Convention objectivesThe Committee notes that the schedule is ambitious and that there is a need to maintain some flexibility in order toaccount for any changes that may result from the deliberations held by the Commission in November 2008.157