US EditionMackerel overfishing: the EU denounces an agreement between the United Kingdom and Norway
The EU warns the 299,000-tonne quota agreed by the UK, Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands exceeds scientific advice by 72%, risking mackerel stock collapse.
- On Tuesday, the European Commission protested a fishing agreement between the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands setting a total allowable catch of more than 299,000 tonnes for 2026, about 72 percent higher than scientific advice.
- The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommended a TAC of no more than 174,357 tonnes for 2026, warning the North-East Atlantic mackerel stock is below biological limits after longstanding overfishing.
- Past catch data show Russia's annual catch in past years exceeded 100,000 tonnes, and French fishermen’s representatives said the four nations overfish and undermine European Union market rules.
- The European Commission will seek clarification from the four parties and assess the arrangement's compliance with international law and the TCA, warning it risks mackerel sustainability and EU fishing interests.
- EU officials urged reconsideration and sustainable management, saying the European Commission remains committed to long-term sustainability and protecting the livelihoods of fishing communities.
12 Articles
12 Articles
EU Warning: North Atlantic Fishing Deal Endangers Mackerel Stock
The European Union has protested against a fishing arrangement between Britain, Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands, warning it could cause irreversible damage to the North Atlantic mackerel population. In a statement on Tuesday, December 23rd, the European Commission said the deal was agreed without prior consultation with the EU and sets catch limits far above scientific recommendations. Under the accord announced on December 16, the four p…
The European Union, which has negotiated fishing quotas downwards between its Member States in order to respect the regeneration of the species, casts on Tuesday 23 December the 'total allowable catch' on which the four territories agreed for 2026, '72% higher than the scientific recommendations'.
They reached their agreement while ignoring scientific warnings and the concerns of other countries. While, on December 13, the member states of the European Union had agreed to drastically reduce mackerel fishing quotas for the first six months of the year compared to 2025, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands made no effort whatsoever. The four countries announced on December 16 that they had decided to set a total allowa…
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