Serious divisions have emerged among members of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) after most countries rejected the EU’s proposal to set fishing limits based on scientific advice.
The EU had urged members to align total allowable catches (TACs) for mackerel and blue whiting with recommendations from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
Both stocks are already overfished, with mackerel now below the minimum sustainability level.
Concerns Over Illegal Practices
Talks also disagreed on banning transhipment—transferring catches between vessels at sea—a practice already outlawed in EU and UK waters.
The EU warned that resistance to inspections and monitoring could worsen illegal and unregulated fishing, threatening the region’s marine balance.
EU Calls for Collective Action
The European Commission expressed “deep concern” over the lack of shared commitment to science-based management. It said the outcome jeopardises years of progress on sustainable fishing and called on partners to cooperate before stocks reach critical levels.
The meeting, held in London from November 11 to 14, 2025, gathered representatives from the EU, Norway, Iceland, the UK, Russia, and Denmark (on behalf of the Faroe Islands and Greenland).
Despite its disappointment, the EU vowed to continue pushing for joint solutions to safeguard North Atlantic fish resources.