Main Conclusions and Recommendations

Abstract

The largest European populations of sea lamprey appear to be in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula (NW Spain and N Portugal) and W-SW France, regions that also contain the main sea lamprey commercial fisheries. Recent research shows evidence of population structuring in western Iberian Peninsula that indicates the existence of three different stocks. This structuring may exist in other regions across the geographical range of the species, like in France, and further studies are needed to clarify this, in order to adequately manage the different stocks.