The latest assessment of the fishery using ring nets was in 2017; the latest assessment of handlines and pole-and-lines was in 2023.
The status of stocks of gilthead seabream in the Northeast Atlantic is unclear. No reliable stock assessments are available and fishing pressure cannot be properly determined. Due to its life history, gilthead seabream is moderately vulnerable to overfishing.
Fishing with handlines and pole-and-lines has little bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species, low discards and causes no damage to the seabed. Fishing with ring nets also causes virtually no damage to the seabed and is likely to have low discards, but insufficient data are available on bycatch and impacts on the ecosystem. Handlines and pole-and-lines are therefore the most sustainable choice.
Management is considered partially effective. There is no specific management plan for gilthead seabream, but the fishery falls under the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy and an ecosystem-based approach is under development. No MSC certification is available for these fisheries.