Faroese seafood producer halts use of North Atlantic mackerel over sustainability concerns

The Faroese seafood company King Oscar will no longer use mackerel from the North Atlantic due to unsustainable fishing practices, Fiskeribladet reports.

According to the company, the lack of agreement between coastal states on fishing quotas has led to severe overfishing. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has recommended a 70% reduction in mackerel catches for 2026 compared to 2025.

King Oscar, owned by Thai Union, has emphasized sustainability as a core priority. The parent company has twice been named the world’s most sustainable seafood producer by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Thai Union stated it will now source mackerel from other regions instead of the North Atlantic.