Biomass above the reference point and in overexploitation.
[The GFCM methodology to provide stock status and management advice is described in the Appendix F of the Sixteenth Session of the Scientific Advisory Committee Report. See the Bibliography section.]

Stock assessment in the GFCM area of application is often conducted by management units, based on GSAs. This method does not ensure that the whole stock is assessed, since stocks may cover several different management units. In some cases, when there is scientific evidence of a stock spreading through different GSAs, as well as information on species from different GSAs, existing information is combined across GSAs. This is then defined as a “joint stock assessment of a shared stock”. The GFCM recommends that when scientific evidence of shared stocks exists, joint stock assessments should be attempted. A number of activities aimed at achieving a better definition of stock boundaries are currently being conducted at the GFCM level. [The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries, 2016]

European hake is one of the most important demersal species in the Adriatic Sea. In this area, European hake is exploited mainly by bottom trawlers and in the southern part of the Adriatic Sea and in Croatian waters longlines are also relevant. Landings present a fluctuating trend all over the time series considered accounting for the highest value in 2006 and the lowest value in 2019. Italy is the country that mainly exploits this species; in particular, Italian bottom trawl catches of GSAs 17 and 18 represent around 75 percent of the total Adriatic catches. Bottom trawl catches are mainly composed of ages 0, 1 and 2, whereas longlines exploit bigger individuals.

GSAs 17-18.