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Targeted CPUE for Pachymetopon aeneum has shown a significant increase in the KwaZulu-Natal commercial skiboat fishery between 1985 and 2007 (National Marine Linefish System unpublished data). Two independent surveys of the KwaZulu-Natal commercial linefishery also obtained data indicative of CPUE increase from the periods 1994–1996 (0.43 kg/fisher/hr) and 2008–2009 (1.03 kg/fisher/hr) (Mann et al. 1997, Dunlop and Mann 2013). The percent composition of this species in commercial catches has remained stable over this period (Mann et al. 1997, Dunlop and Mann 2013). Percent composition has increased by mass in the Port Alfred commercial and recreational linefishery between 1985 and 2008 (Donovan 2010). The total reported commercial catch for this species has remained stable over the period 1985–2008 at approximately 10 tonnes/annum (National Marine Linefish System unpublished data). Using targeted effort data, CPUE over the same time period has increased from 0.2 kg/man/hr to 0.5 kg/man/hr. This increase may be partly explained as a consequence of a switch to smaller hook sizes and greater directed effort at this species (B. Mann pers. comm. 2009). There is evidence of a decreasing trend in mean size in the Port Alfred commercial and recreational linefisheries between 1984 and 2008 (Donovan 2010).
Commercial data show that since 2000 commercial fishing effort has declined dramatically in the South African linefishery from approximately 3,000 to 450 vessels as part of the allocation of medium and long-term right in 2003 and 2006, respectively (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 2012).There is a daily bag limit for P. aeneum for recreational fishers of five fish per person per day and catch is unlimited for commercial fishers (Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries 2012). This species is effectively protected in a number of no-take MPAs over its entire distributional range including the De Hoop Marine Reserve, Goukamma, Tsitsikamma National Park, Sardinia Bay Reserve, Bird Island, Dwesa Cwebe and Pondoland (B. Mann and C. Buxton pers. comm. 2009).
As P. aeneum becomes increasingly important to linefish catches, it is pertinent that a stock assessment be conducted and that the species should be carefully managed. A minimum landing size of 30 cm TL is recommended as a precautionary measure (Mann and Fennessy 2013).