This species is sporadically caught with low catches fluctuating and stable and therefore this species is of Least Concern.

In the eastern Atlantic, the range of this species is cantered in the southern Mediterranean Sea extending to Dakar. It is not known from Madeira, the Canary Islands or Cape Verde. There is one record from Oslo (1879).

Estimated landings (t) reported to ICCAT for O.unicolor in the Mediterranean in the last 10 years for this species: 2005 = 2, 2004 = 8, 2003 = 23, 2002 = 137, 2001 = 154, 2000 = 145, 1999 = 217, 1998 = 130, 1997 = 227, 1996 = 132 (ICCAT 2007). The Mediterranean countries with landings of O. unicolor were Algeria (with highest landing values), Maroc, Tunisie and Libya.

This is a pelagic, oceanodromous and neritic species, confined primarily to temperate waters, but juveniles may be encountered in waters of up to 30°C. It forms small schools at the surface so that the first dorsal fin stands out of the water like that of sharks. It is also frequently associated with birds. It feeds on small fishes, especially sardines, anchovies, jacks, mackerel, bogue and others. A female weighing 5 or 6 kg may carry some 500 to 600,000 eggs, which are spawned in portions.

This is a species with minor commercial importance. Landing data from Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal reach to 1,000 tons/year. It is caught mainly with hooks and lines.

This is a species with minor commercial importance. Landing data from Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal reach to 1,000 tons/year. It is consumed as food and is marketed canned or frozen.

There are no species specific conservation measures in place.