It is unclear how the stock of Atlantic bonito in the Mediterranean Sea is doing. There is insufficient data to assess whether current fishing pressure is sustainable.
In fisheries using purse seines, bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species is limited, but a large proportion of the bonito caught have not yet reproduced and the fishery disrupts the food web. In fisheries using demersal gillnets, bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species, such as sea turtles, marine mammals, sharks and rays, is high, and discard rates are also relatively high. Neither fishing method causes damage to the seabed. Purse seine fishing is preferred because of its much lower bycatch of vulnerable species.
Fisheries management is divided among several international and national organisations. Current management is considered to be of limited effectiveness, and an ecosystem-based approach is still under development.