Ireland’s fishing industry is reeling after scientists recommended a 70% cut to the 2026 mackerel quota, a move described as a “hammer blow” that could collapse the sector and devastate coastal communities.
The advice, issued by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), says stocks are now below safe limits. The Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) warns that the reduction could wipe out Ireland’s pelagic fleet and fish processors.
“It could slash exports by €66 million next year alone,” said IFPO CEO Aodh O’Donnell. “Mackerel is our most valuable catch, worth €94 million. This cut is catastrophic.”
Crisis Blamed on Coastal States
The IFPO blames years of overfishing by non-EU states such as Norway, the Faroe Islands, and the UK. Emergency recovery plans were proposed at recent Coastal States talks, but were rejected.
O’Donnell said the EU has failed to confront these “rogue players” and instead traded access to Irish waters for other species like blue whiting. “Now Ireland is paying the price,” he warned.
Double Blow: Blue Whiting Also Cut
ICES also advised a 41% cut to blue whiting, which spawns mainly in Irish waters. Yet EU access deals have repeatedly allowed Norway far greater quotas than Ireland.
In one recent deal, Norway took nearly 200,000 tonnes of blue whiting west of Ireland, compared with less than 60,000 tonnes for the Irish fleet. That was worth around €50 million to Norway but only €15 million to Ireland.
Calls for Fairness at EU Level
The IFPO says Ireland has long been disadvantaged under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, receiving less than 6% of EU quotas despite holding 12% of EU waters.
O’Donnell is calling for a new, enforceable sharing system based on fairness and sustainability. He urged the EU Fisheries Council in December to apply historical protections and confront non-EU states.
“If Brussels fails to act, Ireland’s pelagic industry — worth hundreds of millions — could vanish,” he said. Talks on quotas will resume in October, with months ahead seen as critical for the industry, jobs, and heritage.