It is unclear how the stocks of red gurnard are doing. No stock assessment is available, and the species is often recorded together with other gurnard species. Numbers appear to have remained stable in recent years, but the lack of reliable data means that the status of the stock remains uncertain.
Fishing with demersal otter trawls has high levels of bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species and results in substantial discards. This fishing method also causes significant damage to the seabed and vulnerable benthic habitats, which can affect the food web. The CO₂ emissions from this fishery are high.
Management is considered insufficiently effective. There are no specific catch limits or management measures for red gurnard, and the species is only monitored to a limited extent. The fishery does fall under the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy, but this does not provide sufficient protection for the species.