An analysis of bottom trawl survey data suggests a continuity of distribution spanning ICES Subareas 27.4, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Isolated occurrences appear in the North Sea (ICES Subarea 27.4) in some years indicating spill-over into this region (ICES 2023a). A hiatus in distribution was suggested between ICES Divisions 27.8.c and 9.a as boarfish were considered very rare in northern Portuguese waters but abundant further south (O’Donnell et al. 2012). Results from a dedicated genetic study on the stock structure of boarfish within the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea suggests that this hiatus represents a true stock separation (Farrell et al. 2016). Based on these data, a single stock is considered to exist in ICES Sub-areas 27.4, 6, 7, 8 and the northern part of 9.a. This distribution is slightly broader than the current EC TAC area (27.6, 7 and 8).