It is unclear how the stock of horse mackerel in the Mediterranean Sea is doing. There is insufficient data to assess whether current fishing pressure is sustainable, but it is estimated that this is not the case.
Horse mackerel is mainly caught as bycatch in this fishery when sardines and anchovies are caught with purse seines. Bycatch of vulnerable (ETP) species is limited and less than 5% of the catch is discarded, although additional mortality may occur when fish are released from the net. The fishery affects the food web through the catch of small pelagic fish, but does not cause damage to the seabed. CO₂ emissions and the risk of lost fishing gear are low.
The stock is only partially monitored and there is no species-specific management plan. General measures for pelagic fisheries are in place, but it is unclear whether these are sufficient to manage horse mackerel sustainably. Enforcement is only partially effective, partly because many countries are involved in this fishery.