'A hammer blow' - Irish mackerel quota faces devastating 70% cut

Ireland’s fishing industry is bracing for a catastrophic 2026 mackerel quota reduction of 70 percent, a move that could collapse the Irish fishing sector and devastate major fishing communities.

“The scientific recommendation issued this morning is a hammer blow,” says IFPO (Irish Fish Producers Organisation) CEO Aodh O’Donnell. “It could wipe out Ireland’s pelagic (offshore) fishing fleet and fish processors. Sustainability is paramount but a failure to stop non-EU States from overfishing mackerel has created this crisis.”

“Mackerel is Ireland’s most valuable catch, worth €94 million in exports to top markets in Europe and Asia. A 70% quota cut could slash this by €66 million next year.”

Science Advice, Then Politics
The recommended cut is based on advice from ICES — the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea — Europe’s leading scientific body for marine ecosystems. ICES finds that mackerel stocks are below safe biological limits. The IFPO say this is the result of years of overfishing, particularly by non-EU coastal states. Despite that, key states including Norway, the Faroe Islands, and the UK failed to adopt emergency recovery measures proposed at the recent Coastal States talks.

“We have repeatedly urged the EU to stop these non-EU coastal states from unilaterally setting inflated quotas,” says O Donnell. “Now Ireland is paying the price for an EU failure to use their bargaining powers and trade measures decisively to end these unsustainable practices.”

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“Just five years ago, Ireland’s mackerel quota was over 75,000 tonnes. Under the post-Brexit deal, the EU reduced that by roughly 26 %. This was followed by two years of quota reductions. Now, a further 70 % cut will be devastating for the industry and lead to job losses.”

“The rogue players of the North, mainly Norway, the Faroes and Russia, have fished as much as they liked of our shared migratory stock of mackerel. They did so against scientific advice and with impunity because they believed the EU would never apply sanctions to them. In fact, the EU inadvertently approved this overfishing by trading access to EU fishing waters with Norway, for other species, such as blue whiting.”

Double Blow: Blue Whiting Also Hit
ICES also recommends a 41 % cut in blue whiting. This species spawns predominately in waters within and west of Irelands EEZ (European Economic Zone). Yet EU deals in recent years have repeatedly allocated Norway more blue whiting here than they give to the Irish fishing fleet.

For example, says the IFPO, one recent EU access deal let Norway catch nearly 200,000 tonnes of blue whiting in the waters to the west of Ireland, while our catch was limited to less than 60,000 tonnes. “Norway’s quota was worth around €50m, compared to just €15m for the Irish fleet — and we gained almost nothing from that deal,” says O’Donnell.

The Quota System and Ireland’s Historic Disadvantage
Within the EU framework, quotas are allocated via the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The CFP sets a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for each stock. This is then divided among Member States using a method of allocating quotas called Relative Stability. This gives each country the same percentage share each year based on historic reference levels.

The IFPO say problem with this system for Ireland is that from the start, we have never received our fair share of EU quotas. “We have 12% of EU waters but less than 6% of the quota. The EU has consistently failed to address this basic injustice, driving the Irish fishing and processing industry into deeper decline while so many others thrive and grow.”

Collapse Looms — Unless EU Acts
The IFPO is calling for a new, enforceable sharing regime. They say quotas should be based on fairness and sustainability, not inflated self-declared claims. “Ireland must also insist on full application of historical protections and agreements at the December EU Fisheries Council,” says O Donnell.

“The EU must confront non-EU coastal states and make access conditional on fair, enforceable sharing. If Brussels fails to act, Ireland’s pelagic (offshore) industry, which is worth hundreds of millions, could vanish,” O’Donnell warns.

“Talks will resume in October once the full ICES-recommended cuts are known. The coming months are critical — our industry, coastal towns, and heritage all hang in the balance.