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But no TAC was set for mackerel despite EU efforts
EU Fisheries Ministers Set 2026 Quotas: Atlantic, North Sea Agreements Solid, Mediterranean Compromise Rejected
 EUROPEAN UNION
Monday, December 15, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)
Historic Fishing Opportunities Secured for the Atlantic and North Sea, While Commission Rejects Mediterranean Deal
In a pivotal meeting, EU fisheries ministers have successfully reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for 2026 across the Atlantic, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean and Black Sea. However, the European Commission voiced strong dissent, unable to support the compromise reached specifically concerning the Mediterranean basin.
Photo: NEAFC
Atlantic and North Sea: Setting Sustainable Limits
The Council found political agreement on 24 fishing opportunities for 2026 in the North-East Atlantic for stocks managed solely by the EU, with some limits extending to 2027 and 2028. This push for multi-annual limits addresses fishers' requests for greater predictability.
In the Atlantic and the Skagerrak-Kattegat areas, a significant 81% of the fishing opportunities were set at sustainable levels, aligning with the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) advice proposed by the Commission for 2026.
Key Increases to Total Allowable Catches (TACs):
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Anchovy in Iberian waters: +60%
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Megrim in Iberian waters: +11%
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Norway lobster in the Cantabrian Sea: +23%
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Anchovy in the Bay of Biscay: +8%
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Norway lobster in the Bay of Biscay: +49%
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Seabass in the Bay of Biscay: +48% (increase limited to protect pollack)
Significant Decreases for Ailing Stocks:
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Pollack in the Bay of Biscay, the Cantabrian Sea, and Iberian waters: -13%
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Whiting in the Bay of Biscay: -27%
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Sole in Skagerrak-Kattegat: -44%
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Sole in Iberian waters: -9%
The Council applied a prudent approach to mixed fisheries; for example, TACs for Norway lobster and plaice in the Kattegat-Skagerrak waters were rolled over to protect vulnerable cod and sole.
International Cooperation and Mackerel Dispute
 Fishing opportunities for most TACs shared with non-EU countries in the North-East Atlantic were secured ahead of the Council meeting. This involved a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom (UK) and a trilateral agreement between the EU, Norway, and the UK. The agreements cover more than 100 TACs and include technical measures aimed at rebuilding critical stocks.
The EU quotas for blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring for 2026 were set in line with the TACs endorsed in coastal States consultations and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC).
However, no TAC was set for mackerel despite EU efforts. The EU set a provisional quota for the first six months of 2026 based on provisional TAC advice from ICES. Several EU Member States called on the Commission to urgently apply Regulation (EU) No 1026/2012 to address overfishing by certain non-EU countries and protect pelagic stocks.
Mediterranean Compromise Rejected
The Commission refused to support the compromise reached on the Mediterranean basin. It asserts the agreement is not consistent with the multiannual management plan for the western Mediterranean, specifically challenging the decisions regarding the setting of fishing effort limits.
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