In Georgia and Romania (Black Sea), the subspecies M. m. euxinus (Nordmann 1840) is recorded.

This species has shown declines in the Black Sea over the last ten years, but current data from the Mediterranean Sea are insufficient to show population trends there. FAO Fisheries landings statistics for the Mediterranean Sea alone seem to indicate an increase in landings over recent years, but this may be a result of changing trends in target species rather than trends in the population there. The range of the species is greater than the thresholds set out in the IUCN criteria. It is therefore currently assessed as Least Concern in the Mediterranean Sea. Landings in the Black Sea have shown declines (based on Turkish landings) and this may require further investigation to determine population trends there.

This is a north-east Atlantic species that occurs in the south-east Barents sea and from Iceland to Portugal.

In the Mediterranean Sea, M. merlangus occurs in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea (Celik and Oehlenschlager 2005, Labropoulou and Papaconstantinou 2005,  Kontas 2006, Yuksek et al. 2006, Gokce and Metin 2007), Adriatic Sea (Dulcic and Glamuzina 2006) and adjacent areas. It is rare in the north-west Mediterranean Sea.

This is a highly commercial species, mostly in the Black Sea. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) FishStat figures show a declining trend in landings data since 1996.

Dulcic and Glamuzina (2006) mentioned that 1,134 specimens with TL ranging from 14.7 and 33.4 cm 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).

This is a benthopelagic, oceanodromous species that is more commonly found from 30 to 100 m, mainly on mud and gravel bottoms but also on sand and rock. This species feeds on shrimps, crabs, molluscs, small fish, polychaetes, and cephalopods. The fish migrates to the open sea only after its first year of life. Eggs and juveniles are associated with jellyfish. Upon maturity, small chin barbel which are juveniles characteristics disappear (Prévost 2005).

There are insufficient data available to be able to determine generation length.

This is a species with high commercial importance. Landing data from UK, France, Ireland, Netherlands - from 100,000 to 500,000t. It is mainly caught with trawls. Annual landings of Merlangius merlangus (in metric tons) in the Mediterranean and Black Seas show a declining trend between 1996 and 2005 (FAO FISHSTAT Fisheries Statistical Database 2007: Total production 1950-2005):
22,059 (1996), 16,038 (1997), 14,030 (1998), 14,643 (1999), 18,661 (2000), 11,045 (2001), 9,775 (2002), 8,609 (2003), 8,616 (2004), 10,723 (2005).

However, approximately 20% of the landings figures above are based on Mediterranean Sea landing, with 80% based on catch from the Black Sea. The declines of >50% since 1996 are based on Black Sea landings rather than catches in the Mediterranean Sea. Landings from the Mediterranean Sea are increasing.

The landing statistics indicate that the highest landings are recorded for Turkey, the population of this species in the Turkish region of the Black Sea is declining.

Sometimes this species is used in public aquariums. Analysis of level of mercury concentrations in the muscle tissue of this species, caught in Izmir bay (east Aegean Sea) indicate higher concentration values that exceed the limit accepted by World Health Organization (Kontas 2006).

This is a species with high commercial importance. It can be be utilized fresh, dried or salted, smoked and frozen and can be eaten steamed, broiled and baked (Frimodt, 1995). Analysis of level of mercury concentrations in the muscle tissue of this species, caught in Izmir bay (east Aegean Sea) indicate higher concentration values that exceed the limit accepted by World Health Organization (Kontas 2006). Sometimes this species is used in public aquariums.

There is no information available on specific Mediterranean Sea conservation measures for this species (A. Di Natale pers. comm. 2007). In Turkey, management measures are in place limiting minimum size of individuals caught in the Mediterranean and Black Seas to 25 cm. There are also area limitations in place (maximum of three nautical miles from the coastline). In Bulgaria and Ukraine minimum size limits are also in place (12 cm). However, this species may be present in marine protected areas that fall within its distribution.