Stock Assessment Form of Red mullet (M. barbatus) in GSA 16

Red mullet, Mullus barbatus, is an important commercial species for demersal fisheries in the Strait of Sicily (GFCM-GSAs12-16, south-central Mediterranean Sea). It is fished almost exclusively by trawling on continental-shelf bottoms. Based on available knowledge red mullets inhabiting the continental shelf of GSA 16 are considered as a stock unit with average annual landings for the period 2006-2019 of about 550 tons. Catch at age data for the period 2006-2018 has been used to assess the Mullus barbatus stock in the GSA 16. The assessment was performed by extended survivor analysis (XSA) by using FLR in R with MEDITS data for tuning. The stock resulted in Sustainable Exploitation status (Fcurr