During the 2007-2022 period, the majority of the assessed fish stocks are in a state of overexploitation: the fishing-induced mortality is higher than that necessary for a sustainable exploitation of the resources in the long term under average environmental conditions.

In the 2020-2022 triennium, the lowest values in the historical series were recorded, with approximately 60% of stocks classified as overexploited, indicating a relative improvement.

This indicator, based on internationally validated analytical stock assessments, reflects the overall trend in the exploitation status of commercially fished stocks, highlighting the condition of harvested resources. The indicator is also associated with the percentage coverage of landed fish stocks for which stock assessments are available. The analysis is conducted at both the national and subregional levels, following the geographic division defined by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.