The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) has recommended that massive reductions are made to next year’s quotas of pelagic species in the Northeast Atlantic, pointing to the long-term overfishing of certain key stocks.
ICES has put forward that for Northeast Atlantic mackerel, when the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach is applied, catches in 2026 should be no more than 174,357 tonnes – representing a near 70% reduction on the 576,958 tonnes recommended for this year.
For years, the combined unilateral quotas set by fishing nations have far exceeded the catch limits advised by scientists. Finding that mackerel stocks are below safe biological limits, ICES said the sum of the unilateral quotas for mackerel has resulted in catches that have exceeded the scientific advice by, on average, 39% since 2010.
As a consequence of the continued overfishing and poor stock status, Atlantic mackerel products from the region lost their certified sustainable status from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in 2019.
For blue whiting catches in the region, the organisation is advising a 41% cut on this year’s recommended quota to 851,344 tonnes. The reason for the reduction, it said, is a decline in stock biomass and a downward revision of the perception of the stock biomass over the recent years.
The fishery has been heavily dependent on a few strong year classes (2020 and 2021). But with the most recent year classes appearing to be weaker, concerns have been heightened about future stock levels and the need for stricter management.
Similar to mackerel, the blue whiting stock has suffered from consistent quota overshoots by coastal states since 2018, undermining the effectiveness of agreed-upon management strategies
