SEDAR Stock Assessment Panel & Process

Stock Assessment Panel Members are Biologists who are trained in the specialized field of population dynamics, and who assess the available biological data and advise the Council on the status of stocks and level of allowable biological catch.

The Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review or SEDAR process is a multi-step method for examining stock assessments. The process includes data collectors, biologists, fishermen, database managers, stock assessment biologists, Council members and staff throughout each stage. These assessments are used to determine needed management measures. The SEDAR process is utilized by fishery managers in the South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. All workshops are open to the public.

Download the current SEDAR Schedule (PDF) (updated May 2011)

The SEDAR process includes three steps:

1. Data Workshop - key people involved in collecting, keeping, and maintaining the data, biologists who understand the species, and experienced fishermen are brought together. Workshop participants research and review all data available, determine what data should be used for the assessment, and what data and research is still needed.

2. Stock Assessment Workshop - stock assessment biologists, scientists, and fishermen meet to determine what tools are to be used to formulate the stock assessment, how to interpret information from the assessment, and how uncertainty is to be incorporated into the assessment.

3. Peer Review - the products of steps one and two is a stock assessment report. This report is peer reviewed by the Review Committee, a group of independent experts. The Review Committee then formulates its conclusions and recommendations in a final consensus report and an advisory report that includes strenghts and weaknesses in the assessment and recommendations to fishery managers for future data and research needs.

For additional information, including up to date document listings, visit the SEDAR homepage.

View Stock Assessments & SEDAR Reports