Mackerel boats ‘full to the chin’ no more as quota down by over 70%

Foreign fishers are usually blamed for gross over-exploitation of our stocks. As with many other species, mackerel around our coast are also diminishing because of overfishing

Mackerel is the most widely-caught fish by sea anglers here, a survey by Inland Fisheries Ireland found.

As someone drawn almost magnetically to the fish section in Cork’s English Market, especially by its mackerel delights, news from the other side of the Irish Sea is concerning.

British supermarket chain, Waitrose, is to suspend sales of mackerel products due to concerns about overfishing. The retailer is to stop sourcing fresh, chilled and frozen mackerel by April 29, as well as tinned mackerel once its current stocks have been sold.