The Workshop was organized as an answer to the standardization needs identified during the MedSudMed Expert Consultation on Spatial distribution of demersal resources in relation to environmental factors and fishery characteristics (Malta, December 2002) and follows the Workshop on standardization of trawl survey protocol in the MedSudMed Project Area (Mazara del Vallo, May 2003).

The workshop focused on the preparation and reading of otoliths according to a common protocol to be used in the framework of the MedSudMed activities. The main objectives of the workshop were to standardise the age-reading methodology and to establish homogeneous age-reading criteria at regional level. The workshop provided an overview of the methodologies applied to 2 target species: Merluccius merluccius and Mullus barbatus.

Terms of reference of Workshop