1. Proposed plan of work for ICES CIS contribution
Mark Dickey-Collas
Mark Tasker
@DickeyCollas

2. D1 species and species groups
Guidance on an appropriate methods:
a) to integrate across criteria per species of bird, fish and cephalopod (excepting commercial species and species on Habitats Directive annexes).
b) to aggregate species within species groups for an overall assessment of status per species group for MSFD Descriptor 1.
Finish spring 2018

3. Approach
1. a suitable method to integrate D1 criteria to derive the status of a species (for species other than those under the Habitats Directive and assessed for D3), preferably following the method used for Habitats Directive or commercial species, so as to minimise the range of methods followed. ICES should also advise whether there is justification to adopt a different method for a specific region or subregion.
2. a suitable method to derive the overall status of each species group, based on integrating the status assessments of all the species assessed within the group. The number of methods recommended for use across the 16 species groups should be minimised, taking into account the likely number of species assessed per group and region or subregion.

4. D3C3 Commercial fish and shellfish 1
Guidance on an appropriate methods- Size based indicators (SBI):
1. Select population traits & characteristics that are likely to put a stock at risk when fished at Fmsy when measured against biologically/ecologically meaningful size-based indicators (SBIs, already suggested by ICES) & describe likely consequences for preferred threshold values.
2. Explore the relationship between Fmsy and the SBIs in relation to these traits and population dynamics (probably through simulations), to infer stocks at risk and in need of further management measures to achieve threshold values for D3C3 when stocks are fished at Fmsy.

5. D3C3 Commercial fish and shellfish 2
Prepare a framework for comprehensively assessing D3 criteria for fish and shellfish stocks, including bycatch and data-limited stocks, integrating the three D3 criteria for 6-yearly updates on the status of each D3 commercially-exploited species.
4. Provide further advice on the consequences of options for the compilation of lists of commercially-exploited species for each region/subregion, using the criteria under 'specifications' in the GES Decision.
Finish autumn 2018

6. Approach
Options for SBI compared in simulations against various fishing pressures around FMSY for a range of fish biological traits.
These simulations will enable CFP requirements to be compared with those of the MSFD.
A framework will be explored for creating a D3 decision by stock.

7. D1 benthic habitats and D6 seafloor integrity
Provide guidance on the strengths and weaknesses for the setting of methodological standards for assessing D1 habitat/D6 benthic, and provide scientific guidance on the setting of threshold values for operational indicators of state/impact.

8. Approach
With the ambition to develop a method and identified management options, establish guiding principles for
1) quality thresholds for benthic impact,
2) spatial extent of habitat that should achieve those values, applicable to MSFD broad habitat types assessed at ecologically-relevant scales, as set out in the GES Decision.
Finish autumn 2018