The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has advised zero catch for North Sea horse mackerel in 2026.
The technical service report, published on December 17, 2025, indicates that no forecasted catch scenarios would lead to an increase in spawning-stock biomass (SSB) by 2027.
The stock, located in divisions 4.b, 4.c, and 7.d (southern and central North Sea and the eastern English Channel), is currently in a critical state.
ICES noted that spawning-stock size remains below the precautionary biological limits, and the analytical assessment shows no prospect of recovery even with a complete cessation of fishing.
The fishery primarily relies on pelagic trawlers, which accounted for more than 80 per cent of the total catch in 2024. Bottom trawlers and fly shooters are also significant fleet components.
Historically, the UK and the Netherlands have taken the majority of landings, followed by France and Germany.
While discarding is considered negligible in targeted pelagic fisheries, an average discard ratio of 4.8 per cent was recorded across all fleets between 2003 and 2024.
Most reported discards originated from the French bottom-trawl fleet in the eastern English Channel.
ICES recommends that any catches taken under bycatch quotas be adequately sampled. This data is essential for maintaining the quality of future stock assessments.
Given the poor recruitment trends, the agency also suggests monitoring the stock through low-mortality methods, such as acoustic surveys, to better understand current population dynamics.
