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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The data preparation meeting for the benchmark assessment of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) in geographical subareas (GSAs) 1, 5, 6, and 7, organized by the Working Group on Stock Assessment of Demersal Species (WGSAD), was held from 24 to 28 November 2025 at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy, in a hybrid format. The meeting was attended by 30 experts from Algeria, France, Morocco, Spain, Italy, DG MARE, JRC, STECF and the GFCM Secretariat. The main objective of the meeting was to review, analyse, and discuss the input data necessary for the benchmark assessment scheduled for 2026. The session considered recent evidence on stock structure based on findings from the TRANSBORAN and MED_UNITs projects, reviewed Spanish fisheries and MEDITS data, and examined the implications of management measures in the western Mediterranean. A comprehensive workplan was agreed upon to ensure data harmonization and preparation, including biological analyses, validation of fisheries and survey data to establish a database with monthly data resolution for GSA 1, GSA 5, GSA 6, and GSA 7 (including historical information by GSA wherever possible), and studies on recruitment. Multiple assessment scenarios were proposed, and remaining uncertainties regarding stock configuration will be addressed during the benchmark assessment session.