Donegal fish producers' chief welcomes warning about overfishing by non-EU states

Ireland’s fishing industry has welcomed a stark new warning from global seafood buyers and retailers confirming that 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 like mackerel, herring, and blue whiting.

The group 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 Faroe, Iceland and the Russian Federation have ignored science, inflated their quotas, and endangered the future of mackerel.”

The IFPO said the Napa findings underline the extreme imbalance between Ireland and the main coastal states, like Norway, Iceland, the Faroes and the Russian Federation.

“In one week alone in 2023, Norwegian vessels caught over 40,000 tonnes of mackerel,” O’Donnell said.

“That’s more than Ireland’s total allowable catch for the whole of 2025 and is almost four times our scientifically recommended annual quota for 2026. The contrast is shocking — and it also proves how unfairly Ireland is treated.”

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Napa’s figures show that unsustainable catches have continued for years despite 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.”

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 cuts for blue whiting and boarfish.

For the coming season, in total Ireland’s pelagic fleet faces a reduction in recommended quotas of nearly 50% in just one year.

For Ireland’s pelagic (offshore) fleet — one of Europe’s most modern and efficient — this is 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.”

The European Commission negotiates quota sharing arrangements on behalf of Ireland.

The Commission recently acknowledged that the stock is in “critical condition” and warned that the 2027 advice could be for 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 has 12% of EU waters but receives less than 6% of EU fishing quotas. The IFPO says that imbalance has deepened through Brexit and successive quota cuts, while the EU continues to reward overfishing states like Norway with access to Irish waters.

“The EU even let 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.”

The IFPO is now calling for an enforceable quota-sharing regime supported by effective management and controls - and based on real catches and sustainability, not inflated claims; trade and access sanctions against non-EU states that refuse to comply; and the 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.”