The Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association (SPFA) has sharply criticized the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) for downgrading northeast Atlantic mackerel in its latest seafood sustainability ratings, calling the move "headline grabbing" rather than scientifically sound.
Ian Gatt, chief executive of the SPFA, challenged the downgrade in MCS's "Good Fish Guide," which now recommends consumers avoid mackerel caught by midwater trawling and has also downgraded hook and line-caught mackerel.
"We do accept there is currently overfishing happening because of other coastal states fishing their own unilaterally set quotas outside international agreement," Gatt said, "but the fact is the UK has kept its original mackerel share and not increased it, and has been working hard to mitigate fishing pressure."
The industry group argues that MCS failed to consider the current health of the stock, focusing solely on fishing pressure. According to the SPFA, northeast Atlantic mackerel remains "above the maximum sustainable yield reference point for sustainable fishing."
Gatt also criticized MCS's timing, noting that both mackerel and Irish Sea herring stocks are currently undergoing assessment revisions by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The SPFA had urged MCS to await these scientific findings before issuing new guidance.
"We told MCS that this would be the sensible course to adopt for both stocks, which bizarrely they have accepted for Irish Sea herring by not downgrading it, but have not done the same for mackerel," Gatt said.
The controversy comes as ICES scientists recommended a 22% cut in northeast Atlantic mackerel landings for 2025 last September, with the spawning population estimated at less than 2.8 million metric tons -- down from over 7m metric tons in 2014.
MCS's Alice Moore defended the downgrade, saying mackerel stocks are "nearing a breaking point" and called for immediate action to align catch limits with scientific advice. The guide now recommends alternatives such as North Sea herring or Cornish sardines.
Since 2009, total allowable catches for mackerel have consistently exceeded scientific recommendations, with total allowable catches from 2020 to 2024 averaging 39% above advised levels, according to MCS data.
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