North East Atlantic mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and blue whiting facing double threats of overfishing and climate change
Following years of political deadlock, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is calling on governments of nations that fish in the North East Atlantic to establish quota sharing agreements for Atlantic mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian (AS) herring, and blue whiting to safeguard these species into the future. Given the sensitivity of small pelagic species to the environment, international cooperation is essential as climate-related impacts put pressure on marine resources.
New data from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) shows unilateral quotas for mackerel have resulted in catches exceeding the science by, on average, 32% over the past 10 years. While the latest estimate shows a slight improvement in mackerel stock biomass, the stock remains close to the critical threshold. Continued overfishing could therefore undermine this early sign of improvement and prevent the stock from recovering to safe biological levels.
In recent years, the combined AS herring catches for all nations fishing the stock are now nearly in line with the recommended total allowable catch (TAC). Blue whiting biomass is currently healthy, but continued overfishing remains a risk. Now is the time for action, and recent industry leadership discussing future stock sharing arrangements is commendable, but this must translate into actions by coastal states to finally secure a comprehensive stock sharing agreement at upcoming negotiations.
MSC analysis of ICES’ most recent data shows that in the last 10 years, the total combined excess catch of mackerel, AS herring and blue whiting equates to more than 7.2 million tones of fish which, if the science had been followed, should have been left in the sea.
North East Atlantic small pelagic stocks represent some of the largest fish populations in Europe and are critically important to the health of the marine ecosystem, local economies and global seafood supply chains. These fish are also an affordable seafood option for consumers, providing critical nutrition for human diets, packed full of Omega-3 fatty acids. Yet they have been overexploited due to persistent failure by governments to allocate quota shares in line with science, which is a fundamental principle of good fisheries management. As a result, the fisheries lost their MSC certification, a globally recognized marker for fisheries sustainability.
Now, more than ever, nations must set and agree management measures to protect these shared resources. With global average sea surface temperatures reaching record highs in 2026 and projected to rise further next year, swift action is required to ensure fishing is in line with scientific advice, managed through international frameworks that are adaptive and resilient to a rapidly changing climate and complex political environment.
Erin Priddle, Regional Director of Northern Europe said: “The urgent pressures from ocean warming and overfishing must serve as a wake up call to the leaders of these wealthy, data-rich nations to put aside political deadlock, work together to agree quotas in line with science, and reach a long-awaited sharing agreement for all three small pelagic stocks. We are pleased to see industry leadership on this important matter, with the convening of influential pelagic leaders over the course of recent months. This is essential to bring all parties closer to a resolution in safeguarding the long-term sustainability of these critically important species which are vital to marine ecosystems of the North, as well as to the communities that rely on them as sources of food and jobs.”
