Since the first meeting of the MedSudMed Coordination Committee (CC) (GCP/RER/010/ITA/MedSudMed-TD01) the need to improve the available knowledge on the distribution of fishery resources in the area covered by the Project and to identify more accurately the influence of environmental factors on fisheries was emphasized. On that occasion the Project identified a specific project component to be implemented on this issue, together with a number of medium- and long-terms activities.

Thenceforth, several research activities were planned and organized according to the needs expressed by the Research Institutions involved in the Project. During the 9th MedSudMed CC (Italy, May 2011), the Project included in the workplan for 2012 the production of concise species sheets for demersal crustaceans that, according to their economic value and commercial catch, have particular relevance for local, national and international fisheries in the south-central Mediterranean Sea. The subdivision of the Mediterranean region in Geographical Sub-areas (GSAs) is reported in Annex A. Throughout the text, reference to Mediterranean sub-regions will be made indifferently using the GSA number or geographical name (e.g. Libyan waters may be referred to either as GSA 21 or Libyan waters).

This document reviews and compiles the scientific information on: Aristaeomorpha foliacea, Melicertus keraturus, Metapenaeus monocheros, Nephrops norvegicus, Palinurus elephas, and Parapenaeus longirostris. A description of each of these target species is provided, including species description (meristics), ecology (geographical distribution, habitats, migrations), biogical information (maximum size, spawning activity, length at first maturity, eggs, larvae and post-larvae, recruitment at habitat and nurseries, sex ratio, length–weight relationship, maximum age and natural mortality, von bertalanffy growth function, feeding behaviour, stock units), evaluation and exploitation (abundance indices from trawl surveys, strength of recruitment, stock assessment, fisheries, fishing zones and seasons, yield, fishing pattern and discards), legislation and management. This work is the result of international scientific cooperation among the fishery research institutions participating in the FAO Project MedSudMed.