The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) had already removed North-East Atlantic mackerel from its recommended list, and has now downgraded it further with a red listing – with its Good Fish Guide advising consumers to avoid mackerel entirely.
North-East Atlantic mackerel lost its MSC certification in 2019 due to the longstanding impasse on management, with coastal states unable to settle on an acceptable division of the TAC. Mackerel has since been removed from the shelves by UK supermarket Waitrose.
The Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) claims that the MCS fails to take into full account the science-based evidence and recent changes in fishery management arrangements when making their decision to downgrade the rating for Northeast Atlantic Mackerel in its Good Fish Guide.
‘The MCS decision-making process shows a lack of rigour and attention to detail. For example, MCS highlights a decline in the mackerel stock since 2015, but fails to recognise that this should be considered in the context of exceptionally strong recruitment between 2013 and 2015, which was over 2.5 times higher than the preceding decade, and the subsequent reduction in biomass most likely reflects a rebalancing normalisation. Additionally, the ICES working group assessments recognise that several strong year classes remain present within the stock, continuing to support the fishery,’ said SPSG chair Ian Gatt
‘MCS characterises the mackerel stock as being in a ‘very overfished state’. However, ICES analysis indicates that maintaining current catch levels would result in an increase in spawning stock biomass by 2027. This demonstrates that the stock retains the capacity to rebuild under current fishing levels.’
He commented that with negotiations on a broader six-party coastal state agreement with the EU and Greenland, MCS should have placed their rating for mackerel as being ‘under review’ until the next round of scientific assessment becomes available in September.
