This month, we look at ICES expert groups and how to search for expert group reports in our library.
What is an ICES expert group?
ICES has almost 150 expert/study groups and workshops in its network today that address many diverse issues of the marine ecosystem. To become a member of an expert group, you must be nominated by your national delegate. Groups may also include additional invited expertise to ensure the highest quality, peer-reviewed science. Terms of Reference are assigned to every group by their parent committee - (the Science Committee (SCICOM) or Advisory Committee (ACOM) - to guide their work.
Expert group members work throughout the year and normally meet annually or bi-annually to address their assigned Terms of Reference and write their report. Their reports are working documents and are therefore not peer-reviewed.
Each expert group has their own individual webpage. To find this page, click on the Community tab on the main website navigation panel and choose Groups from the dropdown menu.
Search for the relevant group by entering the group's name or acronym in the search panel. Alternatively, if you would like to view a list of groups arranged by parent committee or steering group, use the left hand side affiliation refinement panel.
Once you have found the relevant group, click through to their webpage to find information about the group's work, as well as links to their Terms of Reference (ToRs), group members, and their latest report.
Finding expert group reports
All expert group reports are available in the ICES library. Some groups have reports going back many years. To find a specific report, you should follow a few easy steps.
- Open the ICES library
- Use the following tabs on the lefthand side refinement panel:
- Under Type, choose expert group reports
- Under Year, choose the year of the report you are searching for
- Under By Acronym, choose the expert group acronym
- The relevant report will now appear
Some groups' reports contains multiple sections and annexes. In order to display these sections in order:
- In the drop down box directly above the reports, choose Alphabetically
- The sections of the report are now in correct order
If you need additional help, watch our video tutorial.