Giant red shrimp and blue and red shrimp in the central-eastern Mediterranean

Giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea) and blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) are two of the most valuable fishery resources in the Mediterranean and comprise most of the landed value from deep-water capture fisheries in the central Mediterranean. Stock assessments conducted in the central Mediterranean have mostly found the species in a status of overexploitation over the past years, while sparse data from the eastern Mediterranean are generally insufficient for the provision of quantitative advice on stock status, although significant efforts to improve stock assessments are ongoing. To support the sustainability of these fisheries, the GFCM adopted three multiannual management plans in 2022 for giant red shrimp and blue and red shrimp. This publication presents the results of a collaborative effort to compile comprehensive data, information and research concerning the biology, ecology and fishery of these species in the central-eastern Mediterranean. The analyses and data contained within this study highlight the significant progress that has been made towards increasing the understanding of giant red shrimp and blue and red shrimp and emphasize the additional work needed to address gaps and inform the development of effective long-term adaptive management measures within the existing management plans. In particular, standardized targeted biological surveys should be expanded to strengthen knowledge on the biology and ecology of the species as well as tailored data collection supporting the multiple methods approach to increase understanding of stock units, towards improved coverage and quality of stock assessments. Finally, deep-water red shrimp fishing grounds and their overlap with essential fish habitats and interactions with vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator species should be identified to support the design of effective spatio-temporal management measures. Addressing these gaps will contribute to significantly bolstering the efficacy of future management measures.