Overview

• The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has further downgraded Northeast Atlantic mackerel in its Good Fish Guide, advising against sourcing fish caught by midwater trawl and warning of critical stock declines.
• Catch limits for mackerel have consistently exceeded scientific recommendations, with total allowable catches averaging 39% above advised levels in recent years.
• Mackerel populations in the Northeast Atlantic have plummeted from 7.3 million tonnes in 2015 to 2.8 million tonnes in 2024, with overfishing by nations including the UK, Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands exacerbating the crisis.
• The MCS recommends consumers shift to more sustainable alternatives, such as herring from the North Sea and sardines from Cornwall, to reduce pressure on declining mackerel stocks.
• Critics argue that current governmental measures, including agreements between the UK, Norway, and the Faroe Islands, are insufficient to address the urgent need for coordinated international fisheries management.