The eighth meeting of the Working Group of the Black Sea (WGBS) took place from 18 to 20 September 2019 in Trabzon, Turkey. The meeting reviewed the work carried out during the 2018–2019 intersession in relation to stock assessment, management of selected fisheries, data collection, small-scale fisheries as well as work on the interactions between fisheries and the ecosystem. It also debated on capacity-building activities within the framework of the BlackSea4Fish project and on the outcomes of the second project steering committee meeting.

The WGBS formulated advice on: i) the implementation of the BlackSea4Fish project, ii) data collection and quality indicators, iii) the implementation of the Regional plan of action for small-scale fisheries, iv) the future approach for the provision of advice, v) the status of Black Sea stocks, with all main commercial stocks assessed being in overexploitation, uncertain, depleted or fluctuating around MSY; and vi) the management of priority species. In addition, the WGBS proposed criteria for the allocation of total allowable catch (TAC) quotas to riparian states, as required by Recommendation GFCM 41/2017/4, and carried out a simulation based on the criteria agreed. Finally, the WGBS agreed upon its work plan for 2019–2021 in support of mid-term strategy activities that would be coordinated, among others, through the BlackSea4Fish project and according to the outcomes of its second steering committee. The WGBS proposed a new bureau.