Introducing the new VFLAG for 'duplicates'

[Osanna123]

As discussed at the HARSAT workshop, ICES has introduced a new VFLAG 'E' Exclude from the standard assessment procedure. If a data submitter has two replicate results for the same PARAM from the same sample (due to f.ex. different methods of analysis), they can use VFLAG E for the replicate that should not be used in a standard assessment. This should be taken into account when only one of the replicates is picked for the assessment.

[RobFryer]

@Osanna123 This looks great. I've got several questions, mostly to get agreement on how VFLAG 'E' will be used.

Will a measurement with VFLAG 'E' always be excluded from a (harsat) assessment or only if it is a replicate measurement? Specifically, what will happen in the following situations:

• measurement A has VFLAG E, and there is another replicate measurement which does not have VLFAG E
• measurement A has VFLAG E, but there is no other replicate measurement
• measurement A has VFLAG E, so does replicate B, but there is no other replicate measurement; i.e. all replicates have VFLAG E

Will this get fully documented in RECO? Will need to explain what is meant by the 'standard assessment procedure'; something like the harsat assessment of temporal trends perhaps?

Once we've got clarification, I'll implement this in the code.

[RobFryer]

@Osanna123 On reflection, I wonder whether we are over-complication things by tying this in with replicates. Simpler to just make VFLAG = E means exclude from harsat style assessments. This would then be generalisable to other situations that we haven't yet thought of.

Perhaps we should discuss at the harsat workhop on Friday?

[Osanna123]

Hi @RobFryer it's a good idea to discuss this on Friday. I think, we might need to hear others what the rules around this flag should be. I can improve the description in RECO.