Eating mackerel no longer sustainable because of overfishing, says charity

Scientifically recommended quotas are exceeded because countries cannot agree on how to divide the total catch, the Marine Conservation Society said.

Overfishing between North Atlantic countries has caused mackerel populations to steadily decline since 2009 (Owen Humphrey/PA) (PA Archive)

Mackerel is no longer a sustainable fish to eat because of overfishing, an environmental charity has said.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which grades the sustainability of fish through a traffic light system called the Good Fish Guide, said it has downgraded northeast Atlantic mackerel from green to amber – best choice to OK choice.

Countries that catch mackerel, including the UK, Norway, Iceland and the EU, have agreed not to overfish beyond the scientifically recommended allowances, but they cannot agree on how to divide the catch between themselves, the charity said.