This is a common and widespread species. FAO catch statistics in the Mediterranean Sea have remained stable over the last 25 years. The small size of individuals landed on trawling grounds is a cause for concern. However, as the population is stable, this species is currently listed as Least Concern.

In the east Atlantic, this species is present from British Isles to Senegal.

This species is also widespread in the Mediterranean Sea. Records include the Gulf of Alicante (Charrier et al. 2006), Gulf of Lion (Gaertner et al. 1998, Charrier et al. 2006), Ligurian sea (Tunesi et al. 2002), central Tyrrhenian sea (Colloca et al. 2004, Carpentieri et al. 2005), south Tyrrhenian sea (Badalamenti et al. 2002), Strait of Sicily (Gristina et al. 2006), east Ionian Sea (Madurell et al. 2004, Mytilineou et al. 2005), east Adriatic Sea (Dulcic and Glamuzina 2006), Cretan sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2000), Aegean Sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2004, Machias et al. 2004, Maravelias and Papaconstantinou 2006), east Mediterranean Sea (Golani et al. 2006), Marmara Sea and the Black Sea (Bilecenoglu et al. 2002).

This is a common species. Fisheries landing data (assuming L. piscatorius records refer to L. budegassa as well) show stable catches around 3,000-8,000mt per annum over the last 25 years (FAO Fishstat).

According to Badalamenti et al. (2002), this species was collected from Gulf of Castellammare (south Tyrrhenian Sea) between 1987 and 1988 and between 1994 and 1998 before the trawling ban, by means of trawl hauls of 60min (during the first two years) and 30min (during the second period). The differences between vessels and gear used was corrected using conversion factors. The mean abundance (n. of fish / hauls) were 1.9±0.4, 0.6±0.1, 3.7±0.7 and 9.4±2.7 for 1987,1988,1994 and 1998 respectively.

Carpentieri et al. (2005) mentioned that this species was sampled during four seasonal 24h surveys conducted in July 2001, November 2001, March 2002 and May 2002 in the shelf break off the central Tyrrhenian sea. In each survey eight hauls of 30 minutes each were performed every three hours throughout the 24h period with an otter trawl mounted into a 40 mm head rope, a 40 mm ground chain and 30-40 mm stretched mesh in the wing and cod-end respectively. Four specimens per hour were caught in July, four in November, two in March and none in May.

According to Mytilineou et al. (2005), this species was collected in the north-east Ionian Sea during four experimental surveys (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), with trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end. Reported densities were 2.8 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 300-500 m (44 hauls), 0.5 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 500-700 m (52 hauls), 0.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 700-900 m (36 hauls) and 0.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range 900-1200 m (13 hauls).

Maravelias and Papaconstantinou (2006) reported that this species was found only in the central and north part of the Aegean sea, with the highest mean densities in the Thermaikos Gulf and in the intermediate water depths between 101 and 200 m.

According to Dulcic and Glamuzina (2006), 15 specimens were collected from three east Adriatic estuarine systems (Tar cove, sampled between September 1999 and September 2000, Duce-Glava, sampled between October 1998 and October 1999, River Neretva estuary sampled between December 2002 and December 2003), using various fishing gears (beach seine, fyke-net, gill nets, fish traps), with TL ranging from 28.1 to 66.1 cm.

Gristina et al. (2006) mentioned that this species was sampled during two trawl surveys (Autumn 1997 and Autumn 1998) carried out in the Strait of Sicily using an otter trawl with a 28 mm codend mesh opening. Mean density values of 2, 4±6 and 13±10 were available from the three fishing areas in 1997, while mean density values of 5±5, 2 and 20±18 were available for the same areas in 1998.

According to Garcia-Rodriguez et al. (2005), 1,301 specimens were collected from 9 bottom trawls cruises (each May-June from 1994 to 2002), in an area from Gibraltar to Cape Creus, including Ibiza island, with depth ranges of 10 to 800 m, employing an experimental fishing gear (GOC 73). Sizes varied from 4.0 to 86.5 cm (TL). L. budegassa appeared from depth of 15 m to 757 m but its greater abundance was between 100 and 500 m.

According to Food and Agriculture Organization-General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (FAO-GFCM 2007), 11,864 kg were landed in 2005 by Barcelona fleet.

This is a bathydemersal species, that is found from shallow, inshore waters to 700 m depth. Depth range from 300-1000 m in the east Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005). It is present in the whole Adriatic Sea, the whole Black Sea, and the Azov Sea. It feeds on nekton, mainly fishes (Caruso 1986).

This is a species with commercial interest. The main catching method is by trawls.

It grows up to 100 cm in body length, but most fish in the Mediterranean Sea that were caught by ground trawling were smaller than 60 cm in length. This may mean that individuals are caught before they are capable of reproducing, as the average length at maturity is 66 cm (Ungaro et al. 2002), but more research is required to confirm this.

This is a species with commercial interest.

No specific conservation measures are in place for this species. A preliminary stock assessment for the west Mediterranean Sea has been carried out by the GFCM (GSA No. 6). This species may be found in marine protected areas within its distribution range.