WGACEGG acoustic and egg-based survey products for monitoring anchovy and sardine populations in the European Atlantic area ecosystem

The Working Group on Acoustic and Egg Surveys (WGACEGG) coordinates the pelagic integrated surveys in ICES Areas 7, 8 and 9. Those surveys provide fisheries-independent, acoustic and/or egg-based estimates of the biomass and demographic structure of sardine and anchovy populations. Survey biomass estimates are the main inputs used to manage those commercially important small pelagic stocks in the European Atlantic area (EAA). Taking advantage of the fine spatial resolution of acoustic and egg data, and of ancillary ecosystem data provided by integrated pelagic surveys, WGACEGG also compile standard gridded maps of anchovy and sardine eggs and adult biomass, as well as maps of key in-situ hydrological parameters (surface salinity and temperature). We present an overview of the survey products provided by WGACEGG since 2003. Examples of combination of series of maps are provided to showcase how to assess anchovy and sardine habitats along the strong latitudinal gradient characterising the EAA.