Mackerel stocks at critical levels as nations ignore scientific advice

Norway and other coastal states are planning to fish nearly 300,000 tonnes of mackerel in 2026—far exceeding the 174,357-tonne limit recommended by scientists, Dagbladet reports.

Researchers warn the mackerel stock has fallen below critical levels after years of overfishing, with Norway, the UK, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the EU agreeing to quotas nearly 70 percent higher than sustainable limits. Norway alone will take roughly 75,000 tonnes—about 25 percent of the total catch.

“Are Salthaug, stock manager at Norway’s Institute of Marine Research, called the situation a ‘clearly forewarned disaster,'” the paper writes. “The spawning stock is now below the critical threshold. The brakes should be applied.”

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has repeatedly advised lower quotas, but negotiations between Norway, the UK, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the EU have consistently set higher limits. The EU initially proposed a 70 percent cut but later joined the agreement, reducing its 2025 catch by just 48 percent.

Une Bastholm, industry policy spokesperson for Norway’s Green Party, criticised the government’s stance, calling it a “race to the bottom.” She warned that if mackerel disappear, coastal fisheries across the North Atlantic could collapse.

“Norway must be brave and take responsibility,” Bastholm said. “We can either lead by example and fish far less, as scientists advise, or we can keep exploiting the stock until it’s gone.”

Fisheries Minister Marianne Sivertsen Næss admitted Norway’s efforts were insufficient, telling parliament: “We still have a long way to go to secure a comprehensive mackerel agreement that includes all fishing nations and follows scientific advice.”

The crisis follows decades of overfishing by Norway, the UK, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the EU, Greenland, and Russia. Climate change, bottom trawling, and pollution add further pressure to struggling stocks.