Around 60 per cent  of ICES stock assessments do not have “analytical” status under ICES own quality control procedures. Where ICES does not have the confidence to award an assessment analytical status, including catch options for the following year, the Commission invariably insists on a precautionary approach.
 
This says the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations,  almost invariably results in TACs lower than they would otherwise have been. There is a strong incentive therefore for the fishing industry and the RACs to identify and resolve the main data deficiencies. Fishery regional advusory council were set up in thew UK and Europe by the EU  in 2002 and have a strong catching representation with the NFFO an active participant.

The lead is being taken by the North West Waters regiuonal council which has proposed a regional task force that will work to identify the stock assessments most in need of attention and coordinate efforts to resolve problems stock by stock.The North Sea RAC is equally committed to finding a way out of the vicious cycle of poor data, low TACs and failed measures.

The idea behind the regional fisheries data task force is to bring together fishermen, advisory councls  scientists and government authorities in the member states, along with the European Commission, to identify problem stocks and design and put into effect appropriate remedial measures.

There are a number of other initiatives focussed on resolving data deficiencies that undermine coherent management measures, not least the Data Collection Framework Directive, and the  regional councils  are determined to avoid any duplicated efforts.

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