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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Working Group on Stock Assessment of Demersal Species (WGSAD) was held in Rome, Italy, in hybrid modality, from 11 to 16 December 2023. The main objectives of the meeting were to: i) review the consistency of procedures to provide advice; ii) review the assessment of demersal stocks; and iii) run a hands-on data session to deal with methodological issues. Out of the 68 assessments presented, 63 were validated. Some of the assessments were accomplished within the framework of the relevant expert working groups of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) of the European Commission. Only 14 out of the 63 validated assessments adopted during the WGSAD meeting indicated sustainable or possibly sustainable stock exploitation. Four of them referred to red mullet (Mullus barbatus) stocks, while the rest concerned stocks of crustaceans, such as blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus), Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) and deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris), as well as certain non-priority species. It should also be noted that four stocks were found to be overexploited but with low current fishing mortality levels.