Report of the ICES-EuroGOOS planning group on the North sea pilot project NORSEPP (PGNSP)

Abstract

There had been limited intersessional work but members provided updated information on NORSEPP relevant activities and products, including a modelled 50-years time-series (1955–2004) of modelled water fluxes in the North Sea. NORSEPP agreed to start producing quarterly update reports on the conditions of the North Sea with emphasis on physical conditions and drivers. An attempt will be made to include hydro-graphic data from the IBTS survey this year in the update report for the 1st quarter (January–March). Information related to the seasonal development of phytoplankton will be included in the report for the second quarter. The ICES co-Chair (Hein Rune Skjoldal, IMR) agreed to be editor for the first quarterly update reports for 2005. A process will be initiated to develop practical working relationships between NORSEPP and the various groups in ICES that support the provi-sion of ICES Advice on Fishery Management. NORSEPP will contribute to the 2006 North Sea Assessment by REGNS by contributing time-series of model data (e.g., on water fluxes) and selected model data for recent years with high spa-tial and temporal resolution. NORSEPP will be represented at the REGNS meeting 9–13 May 2005.