Mackerel in the north-east Atlantic overfished by 44%

A coalition of UK seafood companies and retailers, including Young’s, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, and Waitrose, has criticised the failure of the UK, Norway, and other states to reach an agreement on sustainable mackerel fishing in the north-east Atlantic. Over a decade of political disagreement has resulted in an “overfishing disaster,” with 44% more fish caught than is sustainable. The North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group, representing 50 retailers and suppliers, has called for urgent agreement or a binding dispute resolution mechanism. The Marine Conservation Society downgraded the sustainability rating of north-east Atlantic mackerel in its Good Fish Guide due to overexploitation. (The Guardian)