New fisheries agreements aim to significantly reduce fishing pressure on mackerel stocks.

The UK has finalized a series of fisheries arrangements with Norway and the Faroe Islands concerning North-East Atlantic mackerel.

These arrangements will greatly lessen fishing pressure on the mackerel population and serve as a precursor to a long-term quota-sharing agreement involving all coastal states with interest in the stock.

As part of the deal, Norway and the Faroe Islands will have access to fish a portion of their quota within the UK zone. In exchange, they will annually transfer a portion of their quota to the UK. Photo by Jastrow, Wikimedia commons.