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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The seventh meeting of the Subregional Group on Stock Assessment in the Black Sea (SGSABS) was held online from 12 to 16 July 2021. The key objectives of the meeting were to: i) review the status of the main fish stocks in the Black Sea; ii) review the existing data and assessment methods for the main stocks in the area; and iii) review input data and attempt analytical assessments for turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), red mullet (Mullus barbatus), whiting (Merlangius merlangus), horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus), piked dogfish (Squalus acanthias), European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) and rapa whelk (Rapana venosa); and iv) provide advice on stock status and research priorities to improve knowledge on the status of the stocks. Six assessments were validated. Advice was provided on the status of seven stocks in the Black Sea: Black Sea turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), European sprat (Sprattus sprattus), horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus), picked dogfish (Squalus acanthias), whiting (Merlangius merlangus), red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and rapa whelk (Rapana venosa). Of these, qualitative precautionary advice was given for horse mackerel, piked dogfish, whiting and rapa whelk, as the assessments were considered indicative of trends; more comprehensive quantitative advice was provided for red mullet and sprat. The advice for turbot was updated based on the decisions made in the 2019 benchmark, providing semi-quantitative advice, pending re-estimation of reference points. Black Sea anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus ponticus) was assessed separately in a benchmark session held on 5–9 July 2021.