Jack-Mackerel stock assessment simulation

IMARES has been tasked to perform an ICA assessment on a simulated Jack Mackerel dataset. This in order to provide management advice within the SPRFMO framework. The results of the assessments are only briefly discussed, as the Assessment Simulation Task Team mainly focused on agreeing on the underlying simulated dataset and assessment settings during the 8th SPRFMO meeting in Auckland, New Zealand. The summarized outcome of these discussions was that more realistic characteristics of the real fishery and surveys should be incorporated into the simulated dataset. This has been communicated to the designer of the dataset and will result in a revised dataset. CVO (Centrum voor Visserij Onderzoek) has proposed to include the SPRFMO work in the near future into WOT tasks (Wettelijke Onderzoeks Taken). Early 2010 another meeting will be organized in which the Assessment Simulation Task Team will discuss the revised simulated datasets, discuss general assessment settings, perform assessments, compare and discuss these results. The results as listed in this report will be used within these discussions.