This is what we know: assessing the stock status of the data-poor common sole in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast ecoregion

Poster.-- XVII International Symposium on Oceanography of the Bay of Biscay, 1 – 4 June 2021, Virtual EventIn the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast ecoregion, the common sole (Solea solea) has traditionally been considered a highly relevant species due to its high commercial value. However, the current status of this stock is still little known due to the scarcity of available data to perform an analytical assessment. In data-poor situations, length-based methods have been widely applied to estimate biological parameters and to understand the dynamics of marine stocks. In this study we evaluate the status of common sole in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast ecoregion using three different length-based methods such as (1) the length-based indicators, (2) the length-based spawning potential ratio and (3) the mean length-based mortality estimators. Overall, the three methods agree that this stock appears to be exploited at the Maximum Sustainable Yield level. The immatures are well preserved whereas the proportion of large, mature individuals is low, although it has increased in the last years. Assessing the status of this valuable stock with limited data is the first step towards designing and implementing effective management measuresN