Brussels – On December 16, a fishing agreement among British, Norwegian, Faroese, and Icelandic authorities was announced, establishing a total allowable catch (TAC) of over 299,000 tonnes of mackerel for 2026, which is 72% higher than scientific recommendations, according to Brussels.
The Commission emphasized in a statement to AFP that “this decision was made without prior consultation with the European Union.”
Brussels highlighted that this decision comes at a time when the mackerel stock is already below biological limits and at risk of collapse, exacerbating overfishing issues. The excessive exploitation threatens to inflict irreversible harm on the mackerel population.
In France, fisher representatives criticized the “unilateral” and “unacceptable” decision made by the UK, Norway, the Faroes, and Iceland, labeling them as states that disregard scientific advice, yet will still have the opportunity to export their products to the EU. (December 23, 2025)
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