The mackerel quota recommended by ICES for 2025 is 576,958 tons, the lowest since 2013.
Photo: Leif Nøttestad / Norwegian Institute of Marine Research.
Northeast Atlantic mackerel, once considered a sustainable seafood option, is now "under immense pressure", according to the latest Good Fish Guide update from the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) - who are advising UK retailers to stop sourcing it.
In the spring 2025 revision of the guide, Northeast Atlantic mackerel caught by midwater trawl - the most commonly found source of this species in UK supermarkets and restaurants - has been downgraded from a 3 to a 4 rating, meaning it is no longer recommended for sourcing. Meanwhile, hook-and-line caught mackerel has slipped from a 2 to a 3, moving it from "green" to "amber" status.
“It’s deeply concerning to see a source of seafood that was once a sustainable choice in such decline,” said Alice Moore, Good Fish Guide Manager, in a press release. “Mackerel is under immense pressure from fishing activities across multiple nations, and the stock will soon be no longer able to sustain itself.”
While some countries have made efforts to limit mackerel catches, there is no unified, enforceable management plan among the key fishing nations and blocs - namely the UK, Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the EU. Since 2009, catch limits have consistently exceeded scientific recommendations by up to 80%, and from 2020-2024 by an average of 39%, with actual catches still 23% above advised levels, the MCS says.
In the meantime, the Marine Conservation Society recommends consumers and businesses consider more sustainable alternatives, such as Marine Stewardship Council-certified Cornish sardines or herring from the North Sea and eastern English Channel.
The issue is not new. The North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA) has been raising concerns for years, citing research from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) that shows mackerel stocks have been in decline since 2015.
According to NAPA, countries have been setting unilateral quotas well above scientific advice, with excess allocations averaging 40% since 2010.
In 2024, the UK, Norway, and the Faroe Islands signed a trilateral agreement to share catches more responsibly, but key players including the EU, Iceland, and Greenland were not part of this deal. “The trilateral agreement shows that progress can be made, and compromise and collaboration are possible," said Rob Blyth-Skyrme, NAPA Project Lead, in a news announcement from Octoboer 2024.
"However, it is only a stepping stone toward a wider consensus. A long-term management agreement that sets catch shares for all Coastal States and adheres to scientific advice is urgently needed," he added.
The lack of a comprehensive, science-based management plan puts the entire stock, and the coastal communities that rely on it, at risk, NAPA said at the time, calling for equitable quota sharing and "effective dispute resolution processes" to prevent further damage.
For 2025, ICES has recommended a mackerel quota of 576,958 tons, the lowest since 2013, representing a 22% decrease compared to the recommendation for 2024 and a 40% decrease compared to the estimated catch for the same year.
Despite this, North Atlantic mackerel catches remain significant both in volumes and value. In its most recent report on Norway's seafood exports for Q1 2025, the Norwegian Seafood Council said that mackerel exports had increased by 54% compared with the same period last year, reaching a value of NOK 1.7 billion, and entering Norway's "top ten" most valuable seafood species.
