There are no data available to indicate population trends for the Blue Whiting population in the Mediterranean Sea. Landing statistics show fluctuations and recent apparent declines may be part of this fluctuating trend (more data are needed). No population information is available. However, this is a species of low economic value and is not thought to be under serious threat at present. It is therefore listed as Least Concern.

In the north-east Atlantic, this species is present from the Barents sea south through the east Norwegian sea, around Iceland, and south along the African coast to Cape Bojador. In the north-west Atlantic, it is present in south Greenland and off south-east Canada and the north-east coast of the USA.

In the Mediterranean Sea, this species occurs in the Alicante Gulf (Garcia-Rodriguez et al. 2006), Catalan Sea (Calderon-Aguileira 1991, Bozzano et al. 2005, Bahamon et al. 2006, Coll et al. 2006, FAO-GFCM 2007), Gulf of Lion (Lloret et al. 2001), Ligurian Sea (Minganti et al. 1996), Tyrrhenian Sea (Dremiere et al. 1999, Sbrana et al. 2003, Colloca et al. 2004), Strait of Sicily (Gristina et al. 2006), Adriatic Sea (Dremiere et al. 1999, Perugini et al. 2007), east Ionian Sea (Madurell et al. 2004, Mytilineou et al. 2005), Cretan Sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2000), north Aegean Sea (Kallianiotis et al. 2004, Labropoulou and Papaconstantinou 2005) including Turkish waters.

This species is reported as commonly caught, but is sometimes not landed in some areas because of its low economic value.

Calderon-Aguileira (1991) mentioned that 145,685 specimens were collected from landing ports of Catalan Sea (Barcelona and Blanes) in the period 1950 to 1987. A subsample of 4,767 specimens were used in order to study the growth of this species by means of otolith: a correlation between higher SST and growth was underline.

Mytilineou et al. (2005) mentioned that this species was collected in the north-east Ionian Sea during four experimental survey (Sept. 1999, Apr. 2000, Jul. 2000, Sept. 2000), by means of trawls of 40 mm stretched mesh size in the cod-end, with density of 14.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 300 to 500 m (44 hauls) and 1.1 individuals per hauls in the depth range of 500 to 700 m (52 hauls).

According to FAO-General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (2007), 69,990 kg were landed in the Catalan Sea from Barcelona fleet in 2005.

This is a pelagic, oceanodromous species, that occurs over the continental slope and shelf to more than 1,000 m but more common between 300 to 400 m.

In the Mediterranean Sea, it is a mesopelagic and benthopelagic species occurring over muddy and sandy substrate extending out to the edge of the continental slope.

It is possible that the Mediterranean holds a separate population from the Atlantic populations, Atlantic populations show different sizes (A. Di Natale, pers. comm. 2007). There are no current genetic studies known to be in place for this.

This species feeds mostly on small crustaceans, but large individuals also prey on small fish and cephalopods. It makes daily vertical migrations, preferring surface waters at night and the bottom during the day.

In the Atlantic ocean, it is an important commercial species. Landing data coming from Norway, USSR, Denmark and Spain are between 100,000 and 500,000 tons. The main catching methods used were trawls.

In the Mediterranean Sea, its commercial importance is variable from place to place. Fishing gear used is always trawlers. Annual landings (tons) in the Mediterranean and Black Seas (1996 to 2005), obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization FISHSTAT Fisheries Statistical Database (2007) show fluctuations:

18,854 (1996), 20,965 (1997), 32,278 (1998), 23,530 (1999), 26,317 (2000), 27,933 (2001), 14,906 (2002), 11,909 (2003), 9,664 (2004), 10,969 (2005).

The species is mixed with Merluccius merluccius landings in some fish auctions. It is likely that fisheries targeting this species will increase in future as they reach greater depths.

In the Atlantic ocean, it is an important commercial species. This species is sold fresh and frozen and is also processed as oil and fishmeal (Cohen et al. 1990).

In the Mediterranean Sea, its commercial importance is variable from place to place.

There is no minimum size in place on catches for this species in many areas, but some nations have minimum size restrictions in place (e.g., minimum size 15 cm for Spain). It is not known to occur in any marine protected areas, it generally occurs in deeper waters.