Waitrose to stop selling mackerel due to overfishing
Waitrose is to suspend sales of mackerel products amid concerns around overfishing.
The supermarket will stop sourcing fresh, chilled, and frozen mackerel by 29 April, although remaining tinned mackerel stock will be available until it has sold through.
Subscribe to TRBThe move follows the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea’s recommendation last September that North-east Atlantic mackerel catches should be cut by 70% to help rebuild stock to a sustainable level.
In December, the UK, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands agreed to cut mackerel catches by 48%, but Waitrose does not think this is enough.
As a result, the supermarket said North East Atlantic mackerel will no longer meet its responsible sourcing requirements from May 2026. All Waitrose North East Atlantic mackerel is sourced from Scottish waters.
Jake Pickering, head of agriculture, aquaculture & fisheries at Waitrose, said: “By suspending sourcing of mackerel at Waitrose we are reinforcing our ethical and sustainable business commitments, acting to tackle overfishing and protect the long-term health of our oceans and this crucial fish.
“Our customers trust us to source responsibly, and we are closely monitoring the fishery. We look forward to bringing mackerel back to our shelves once it meets our high sourcing standards.”
Waitrose said it is launching a new range of smoked fish from April to ensure customers have access to alternatives. These include Hot Smoked Herring, Hot Smoked Peppered Herring and Hot Smoked Sweetcure Seabass.
In May, it will also add frozen sardines as a certified sustainable replacement for frozen mackerel.
