The stock of European squid is insufficiently studied. Biomass appears to be increasing in the English Channel, but trends in other areas are less favourable. Due to the lack of reliable data, it is unclear to what extent fishing is affecting the stock.
Fishing with pelagic otter trawls and purse seines has low bycatch, although marine mammals and seabirds may occasionally be caught. Discard rates are higher in pelagic otter trawl fisheries than in purse seine fisheries. Both fishing methods have little impact on the seabed. The CO₂ emissions of pelagic otter trawls are low. The risk of lost fishing gear is moderate for pelagic otter trawls and low for purse seines.
Management is partly effective. There is no specific management for squid. The fishery falls under the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy, but the lack of stock data makes it difficult to manage the fishery effectively. There is no FIP, and the fishery is not MSC-certified.