Norway has set its final mackerel quotas for 2026 after agreeing a joint management deal with the UK, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The Norwegian national quota is set at 84,440 tonnes. In comparison, the total Norwegian quota for 2026 is 81,375 tonnes, including quota transfers.
The decision was announced by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries (Fiskeridirektoratet) on 13 May 2026. The new quota units apply immediately.
New quota units for trawlers and purse seiners
The Directorate has set new quota units for several vessel groups in the 2026 mackerel fishery.
For trawlers, the quota unit has been fixed at 0.2572 tonnes. Small purse seine vessels received a quota unit of 0.8511 tonnes. In comparison, vessels with purse seine licences were allocated a quota unit of 1.0946 tonnes.
The quotas are based on Norway’s total national quota and adjustments linked to the 2025 quota accounts.
Coastal fleet rules for 2026
Different quota units were also set for vessels in Norway’s closed coastal group.
Vessels with a registered and maximum length below 15 metres will receive a quota unit of 11.4715 tonnes. These vessels may transfer up to 10% of any unused quota into 2027 if they have registered catches during the current year.
All other vessels in the closed coastal group were assigned a quota unit of 15.6489 tonnes.
British zone quotas still under review
The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries said changes to sub-quota units for maximum quotas in British waters will be reviewed later for all vessel groups.
The 2026 quota arrangements follow the mackerel management agreement signed by Norway, the UK, the Faroe Islands and Iceland on 15 December 2025.