As crucial mackerel talks open this week, the EU fishing industry is calling for an immediate and fair sharing arrangement between all Coastal States — warning that the North Atlantic’s most valuable pelagic fishery is at risk of collapse without urgent action.
EU Calls for Science-Based Limits
Delegates from the EU, UK, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland are meeting on 16–17 October to decide next year’s Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and negotiate a long-overdue sharing deal.
EU fishers back the scientific advice for 2026 — a sharp 70% cut to 174,357 tonnes — and stress that continued overfishing by others, up to 40% above advised levels, has pushed the stock to the brink.
“The EU has followed the science, but others have not,” says Tim Heddema, spokesperson for the EU pelagic sector. “Action against irresponsible overfishing is urgently needed.”
Boycotts Misguided, EU Mackerel Still Responsible
Heddema criticised recent NGO and retailer campaigns urging consumers to avoid mackerel, calling them “disappointing and unfair.”
“These boycotts hurt those least to blame for the stock’s decline,” he said. “The real solution is a Coastal States agreement. In the meantime, EU-caught mackerel remains a responsible choice.”
Suppose a whole deal cannot be reached. In that case, the industry is open to a temporary emergency arrangement for 2026 based on historic sustainable quotas. Such a move could give the stock a chance to recover.
The EU pelagic industry insists all parties must limit catches in international waters and include those in national quotas — or risk long-term damage to one of Europe’s most iconic fisheries.