Download the report: English

ABSTRACT

The meeting to update life history information for sardine and anchovy in the western Mediterranean was held online on 25 February 2026. Experts from Mediterranean research institutes and the GFCM Secretariat reviewed new data for GSAs 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10 to discuss data relevant to the response of small pelagic populations to environmental and ecosystem change, with potential management implications. Results show strong spatial heterogeneity but consistent warning signals for sardine in several areas, including reduced growth, poorer condition and truncated age structure, while anchovy trends are more variable and often reflect density-dependent dynamics. Evidence indicates that a subregional ecosystem regime shift (with varying strength depending on the area), driven mainly by bottom-up environmental changes, has significantly influenced small pelagic productivity, with fishing pressure alone insufficient to explain observed patterns. In light of these findings and the existing data gaps and methodological inconsistencies, the group emphasized the need to prioritize fishery-independent survey data, harmonize growth and maturity analyses, and systematically consider environmental drivers in stock assessments, and agreed on a proposed workplan for consideration by the Subregional Committee for the Western Mediterranean (SRC WM).