Commission Raises Alarm Over Unilateral Mackerel Arrangement
The European Commission has raised serious concerns over a mackerel quota arrangement agreed by the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands on 15 December 2025, warning that the deal risks further damaging an already overfished stock and sidelines the European Union entirely.
According to the Commission, the arrangement was reached and signed without any prior consultation with the EU, despite mackerel being a shared stock in the North-East Atlantic and subject to international management obligations. The Commission declared the relocate undermines both sustainability objectives and the legitimate interests of the EU fishing industest.
Scientific Advice Ignored In 2026 Catch Levels
The Commission declared the mackerel stock in the North-East Atlantic is already in an unsustainable state following years of overfishing. Scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommconcludes a total allowable catch of no more than 174,357 tonnes for 2026.
However, under the four-party arrangement, the agreed TAC is set at 299,010 tonnes, around 72% higher than the level advised by scientists. The Commission declared this represents excessive exploitation of the stock and significantly increases the risk of long-term damage.
The Commission warned that such a deviation from scientific advice directly contradicts international commitments to manage shared fish stocks sustainably and exacerbates existing pressure on the mackerel population.
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