Over One Million Tonnes of Mackerel Overfished in Past Five Years

Over one million tonnes of mackerel overfished in five years as IFPO backs NAPA warning, blaming Norway and others for stock collapse

IFPO Welcomes Warning from Global Advocates for Sustainability

Ireland’s fishing industry has welcomed a stark new warning from global seafood buyers and retailers confirming that reckless overfishing by non-EU Coastal States has pushed mackerel to the brink of collapse.

In its latest statement, the North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA) said that over a million tonnes of mackerel have been caught above scientific advice over the past five years. NAPA advocates for sustainable, science-based management of North Atlantic pelagic fish stocks such as mackerel, herring, and blue whiting. It has now warned that the mackerel stock’s survival depends on immediate and collective action to end chronic overfishing.

“This is an extraordinary and overdue intervention from NAPA — the global marketplace for seafood is now sounding the alarm,” said Aodh O’Donnell, Chief Executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO). “Their message is clear: Norway, the Faroes, Iceland and the Russian Federation have ignored science, inflated their quotas, and endangered the future of mackerel.”

One Week of Norway’s Fishing Equals Ireland’s Annual Quota

The IFPO said the NAPA findings underline the extreme imbalance between Ireland and the main Coastal States — Norway, Iceland, the Faroes, and the Russian Federation.

“In one week alone in 2023, Norwegian vessels caught over 40,000 tonnes of mackerel,” said O’Donnell. “That’s more than Ireland’s total allowable catch for the whole of 2025 and almost four times our scientifically recommended annual quota for 2026. The contrast is shocking — and it also proves how unfairly Ireland is treated.”

NAPA’s figures show that unsustainable catches have continued for years despite repeated scientific warnings. “Like NAPA, we have been warning about the EU’s need to stop overfishing shared migratory stocks for years. The numbers don’t lie,” said O’Donnell. “These countries have collectively taken a million tonnes more than recommended — with devastating consequences for the mackerel stock and for Ireland.”

Irish Fleet on the Brink

The latest advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) recommends a 70% cut in mackerel quotas for 2026, alongside deep reductions for blue whiting and boarfish. For the coming season, Ireland’s pelagic fleet faces an overall reduction in recommended quotas of nearly 50% in just one year. For Ireland’s offshore fleet — one of Europe’s most modern and efficient — this represents an existential threat.

“Modern vessels need a critical volume just to break even,” said O’Donnell. “They also rely on multiple species to spread financial risk. With massive cuts recommended across all three of the key species in Ireland, then no vessel can operate viably. This isn’t a downturn — it’s collapse.”

“Too Little, Too Late” from Brussels

The European Commission negotiates quota-sharing arrangements on behalf of Ireland. It has recently acknowledged that the stock is in “critical condition” and warned that the 2027 advice could recommend a total shutdown of the fishery. However, the IFPO says the Commission’s response is far too weak.

“The Commission calls for action — but takes none itself. Non-EU states won’t change voluntarily. Only trade sanctions and fishing access restrictions will stop them from plundering shared stocks.”

Ireland’s Case for Fairness

Ireland has 12% of EU waters but receives less than 6% of EU fishing quotas. The IFPO says this imbalance has deepened since Brexit and through successive quota cuts, while the EU continues to reward overfishing states such as Norway with access to Irish waters.

“The EU even gave Norway an opportunity to fish almost 200,000 tonnes of blue whiting off Ireland last year,” said O’Donnell. “We were allowed less than 60,000 tonnes in our own waters. That’s not partnership — it’s punishment.”

A Line in the Sand

The IFPO is calling for:
• An enforceable quota-sharing regime based on real catches and sustainability, supported by effective management and controls.
• Trade and access sanctions against non-EU states that refuse to comply.
• Full application of Ireland’s Hague Preferences at the December EU Fisheries Council to protect Irish interests when quotas fall.

“As guardians of the ocean, we are fully committed to the long-term sustainability of our stocks and we cannot overstate the urgency,” said O’Donnell. “Ireland’s pelagic sector — worth hundreds of millions and vital to coastal communities — is on the edge of collapse. If the EU fails to act decisively now, we risk losing an entire industry within a year.”

Source: Press Release

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