The European Union (EU) has increased its mackerel fishing quotas in the North Atlantic for 2026, despite warnings from researchers about overfishing. In December, EU countries had agreed to a 70% decrease in catches for 2026 compared to 2025. However, on Monday, they decided on a more modest 48% reduction in response to concerns from European fishermen and to align with neighboring countries like the UK, Norway, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland.
The mackerel in the North Atlantic has been moving northward due to climate change, leading to overfishing and geopolitical tensions. The EU blames the UK, Norway, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland for overexploiting the resource. In the absence of a drastic reduction agreement with these countries, EU nations have settled for a 48% cut in catches to address French fishermen’s demands for harmonization and a less severe quota decrease.
In 2026, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) had recommended a four-fold reduction in mackerel fishing in the North Atlantic to avoid a collapse of the species. The 48% reduction agreed upon on Monday amounts to nearly double the recommended catch limit by ICES.
France did not oppose the quota increase but called for multilateral negotiations with neighboring countries to prevent overfishing. Fishing remains a contentious issue in EU relations with Iceland, which may resume accession talks if a “yes” vote prevails in an upcoming referendum in the country.
