EU and UK close ports to Russian vessels carrying excessive mackerel

The North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) has implemented measures to combat unsustainable mackerel fishing by the Russian fleet in the North-East Atlantic. Under these new rules, ports in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Iceland have closed to Russian vessels carrying more than 1,495 tonnes of mackerel.

The decision follows concerns that Russia unilaterally increased its mackerel quota to 67,548 tonnes, which accounts for approximately 22.5% of the shared quota among Atlantic nations. Officials from Brussels have noted that the species is in a critical state of conservation due to years of overfishing, particularly by the Russian Federation.