EU-Backed Rules Take Effect to Curb Russian Mackerel Fishing in North-East Atlantic

New conservation measures adopted by the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) to curb unsustainable Russian mackerel fishing in the North-East Atlantic have officially entered into force. The restrictions originate from a proposal drafted by the European Union in response to intense conservation pressure on regional mackerel stocks following years of chronic overfishing. The regulatory step follows a decision by Russia in 2026 to unilaterally increase its mackerel fishing quota.

Mackerel in the North-East Atlantic has suffered from prolonged overexploitation, leaving stocks under severe pressure. Unilateral quota increases by individual nations undermine regional management efforts and heighten the risk of long-term ecological and economic damage. By implementing formal NEAFC measures, the regional body is attempting to impose structural limits on unsustainable catches and enforce restraint where voluntary coordination has failed.

The new regulations represent a direct diplomatic push by Brussels, which initiated the proposal within NEAFC. For the EU, using regional fisheries management organisations is the primary vehicle to challenge non-member states that set unilateral catch limits, ensuring that international conservation standards are upheld in shared waters.

With the measures now active, the focus moves to monitoring compliance in the North-East Atlantic and assessing whether the new restrictions will successfully reduce fishing pressure on depleted mackerel populations.