The Working Group on Stock Assessment of Small Pelagic Species (WGSASP) benchmark session for the assessment of anchovy and sardine in GSA 16 was held online on 14–18 March 2022.The objective of the meeting was to perform a full analysis and a review of the information and methods used to provide advice on the status of the stock(s), focusing on the considerations of old and new data sources as well as old and new (or improved) assessment models and assumptions. The session was attended by experts from the region and experts on the species and/or on stock assessment models discussed, as well as an external reviewer.

The session investigated all available input data and carried out an analysis of the performance of a4a models for the two species.