Second Workshop on Atlantic Chub Mackerel (Scomber colias) (WKCOLIAS2)

The Atlantic chub mackerel Scomber colias has become an increasingly important commercialspecies in the European Atlantic waters in the last 10–15 years, probably through an expansionprocess from NW African waters and due to market needs. However, at present there are noassessment or advice requirements. In the WK framework, available information of the speciesin the West Atlantic waters has been compiled in order to evaluate possible geographical differencesand trends, and the feasibility to describe its population structure. Though the Atlanticchub mackerel is not routinely included among the target species in the acoustic surveys performedin the Atlantic Iberian waters and the Mediterranean Sea, a synoptic overview of thespecies is possible over all its West Atlantic distribution. Moreover, the data available have indicatedlatitudinal trends, mainly in the landings’ length composition, L50 and the spawning periods.Nevertheless, even if some degree of connectivity likely exists and migrations are occurringbetween adjacent areas, some subunits could be considered for management purposes.From the assessment models’ trials carried out, the results or reference points obtained for theEuropean fisheries cannot be retained at present. Therefore, continuing collating informationfrom fisheries and biological sampling of the species, obtaining reliable biomass estimationsfrom scientific surveys and identifying management units seem the main priorities to address infuture research work and in case of assessment requirements.