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Stock assessment reveals reduced yields and loss of large spawners in Cunene horse mackerel, indicating unsustainable exploitation that requires immediate science-based management.
This study assessed the status of the Cunene horse mackerel ( Trachurus trecae ) stock in Guinea-Bissau (2018–2023) using fishery-dependent and independent data. Catches ranged from 29.1 kt (kilotones) in 2020 to 10.2 kt in 2023, dominated by Chinese (57.2%) and Guinean (22.6%) fleets. Fishing was concentrated between January and May, mainly in the 10–12°N and 16–18°W area, with demersal trawl accounting for 52.1% of catches. Biological parameters revealed negative allometry with b = 2.80 [2.75–2.84], L 50 = 20.0 [19.6–20.3] cm for grouped sexes, L ∞ of 48.8 [46.4–52.2] cm, K of 0.55 [0.34–0.74] yr −1 , and M of 0.67 [0.47–0.87] yr −1 , indicating a “fast” life history. Length-based indicators show reduced yields and loss of large spawners, suggesting current exploitation patterns might be unsustainable, but results were considerably sensitive to life history parameter values, particularly L ∞ and L 50 , which warrants continued data collection. These findings call for immediate science-based management, which might include seasonal closures, reduced fishing effort, improved gear selectivity, and enhanced monitoring. Enhanced institutional capacity and regional cooperation are critical to strengthening monitoring efforts.
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Nonque et al. (2026) studied this question.
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