The fishing pressure of the mackerel stock in the north-east Atlantic Ocean is currently higher than the precautionary level. This is mainly because international catch agreements are lacking.
Fishing with gillnetsGillnets:
A fishing technique whereby passing fish get caught in the meshes with their gills. The net stands vertically on the bottom or hangs on buoys in the water column. The by-catch of species such as porpoises and dolphins is a problem related to gillnets. has relativley high bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards). rates, mainly sea mammals and seabirds.
The mackerel fishery is managed by size limits, [catch-limit]s and (in the North Sea) closed fishing seasons. DiscardsDiscards:
Unwanted by-catch, which is thrown back because there is no quota, the market price is too low, or the fish is below the legal minimum landing size. Discards can be alive or dead. and discarding less valuable fish (slipping and high-grading) are regulated with the European Union discard ban. Since 2010, there have been no international catch agreements for Atlantic mackerel in this area. This has resulted in high levels of fishing pressureFishing pressure:
Fishing pressure is a result of the fishing effort/amount of fishing on a stock, which determines the fishing mortality. Fishing mortality is the share of the fish stock that dies annually as a result of fishing..
Fish in season
Fish is in season when the spawning period has ended, as the quality is then at its best.