Results
Western GSA18The average value of sardine biomass density estimations for the studied period (1987-2010) is 16.8 t/nm
2. Sardine stock presents strong fluctuations in the first years of the studied period until the peak in 1996 (72.9 t/nm
2), after which we assist to a sudden decline with minor fluctuations around the mean value of the entire period. After that sardine showed very low levels of biomass; even if in the last 5 years there was a recovery, current biomass level is slightly below the mean value of the series. In 2010 sardine density biomass was 10.9 t/nm
2, equal to 27 359 t for an area of 2 510 nm
2 (from the coastline to the isobath of 200 m).
Eastern GSA18Apart from the first surveys that took place in Montenegro waters only, the results of two surveys covering the whole area (Montenegro and Albania) are available by now. While in 2008 sardine biomass was 91 211 t, in 2010 it resulted 43 727 t in an area of 2 597 nm
2 (from the coastline to the isobath of 200 m); sardine stock resulted half the quantity of two years before.