In overexploitation and the stock size is overexploited.
[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]

This species is one of the most important commercial demersal species in the Strait of Gibraltar area. Discards might be considered negligible. However, there is not much information available on the stock structure of blackspot seabream in this narrow site. The Spanish fishery targeting blackspot seabream has been developing along the Strait of Gibraltar since the earliest 1980s. It is almost a mono-specific fishery, with one clear target species representing 74 percent from the total landed species, which constitutes a metier by itself. The voracera, a local mechanized hook-line baited with sardine, is the gear used by the fleet from the Tarifa and Algeciras ports in Spain. The most important Moroccan fleets targeting blackspot seabream (among other species) are the longliners mainly based at the port of Tangier and the artisanal fleet of the Strait of Gibraltar area. The fishery is carried out at 200-700 m depth and the gear used is the longline known as well as voracera. The Moroccan fishery is considered multi-specific. A consistent part of landings (even from Morocco) is sold on the Spanish market.