/ 
The decision was made on February 16. The Minister for the Sea, Catherine Chabaud announces a strict ceiling: 5 mackerel per day per fisherman for recreational fishing.
The measure comes against a tense backdrop. European quotas allocated to professional fishermen have fallen sharply for 2026. At the same time, 400 additional tons have been allocated to French artisanal fishermen, while the overall envelope is decreasing at Community level. The political message is clear: protect the resource to avoid stock collapse, but with a persistent double standard.
But on the ground, the pill is not going down well with recreational anglers.
Stock under pressure
Mackerel, Scomber scombrus is an emblematic pelagic species of the Northeast Atlantic. It frequents the English Channel, the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay. A gregarious fish, it forms dense shoals. It grows rapidly and reproduces relatively efficiently. However, scientists are warning of a worrying decline in spawning biomass due to overfishing by factory trawlers in the North Sea by 2025.
Cumulative catches by European fleets, together with catches by third countries, have far exceeded scientific recommendations. Diplomatic tensions are running high. Quota to be cut by 70%.
Against this backdrop, the French government has decided to include recreational fishing in the collective effort.
Five mackerels: a symbol rather than a real efficiency
Throughout the Atlantic coast, mackerel fishing is a popular tradition. A rod, a train of feathers, a cast from a dyke or a boat. The act is simple, the catch sometimes fruitful, but not always. Mackerel is the star fish for beginners.
Many fishermen are denouncing a "collective sanction". They point out that recreational fishing represents only a fraction of total catches. They also emphasize the cultural dimension of this practice. For many, grilled mackerel is part of the DNA of recreational fishing.
Biologically, the real impact of this restriction will depend on compliance with the rule and the overall volume of recreational catches. Estimates vary. In France, recreational fishing, as the name suggests, takes a negligible share of the overall mackerel population. Large trawlers take several dozen tonnes per haul. Recreational fishing and small-scale professional fishing will suffer the consequences of intensive fishing. We've got the wrong target.
Professionals between relief and concern
That said, artisanal fishermen have been awarded an additional 400 tonnes for 2026. A breath of fresh air in a gloomy climate. This bonus is allocated to take account of the strong economic pressure induced by the overall reduction in European quotas. But this ignores the impact of the measure on recreational fishing.
Recreational sea fishing is a discreet but powerful economic sector. It cannot be measured in terms of tonnages landed. It can be measured in terms of diffuse expenditure, indirect employment and port activity.
A very bad political signal for recreational anglers
National surveys estimate that between 2.5 and 3 million French people fish for pleasure, either on board or by boat. Not all fish regularly. Not all catch mackerel. But the base remains broad. It irrigates the entire coastline.
IFREMER and FranceAgriMer studies converge:
recreational sea fishing generates between 1.5 and 2 billion euros in annual economic benefits .
This figure includes the purchase of equipment (rods, reels, lures, lines, bait), boat maintenance and equipment, fuel, berths, tourist accommodation, catering, transport, fishing guides and their supervised outings.
The simple "boat" item weighs heavily. A yachtsman consumes fuel, insurance, maintenance and fittings. Every euro spent circulates in the coastal economy.
Recreational fishing is the lifeblood of hundreds of marinas. It boosts shipyards, ship chandlers, specialized retailers and coastal tourism.
In some communes, recreational anglers extend the tourist season into spring and autumn. They use rentals outside July and August. They frequent local shops.
Impact of this 5-mackerel quota on employment?
It is estimated that the marine leisure fishing industry supports several thousand direct and indirect jobs in the fishing tackle trade, boatbuilding, maintenance and repair, port activities, fishing guides and coastal tourism. The sector does not always benefit from the institutional visibility accorded to professional fishing. Yet its economic weight far exceeds that of catches.
French professional sea fishing represents around 1 billion euros in annual sales at first sale. Leisure fishing, on the other hand, sells nothing. But it generates more in ancillary expenses. It operates as a service and equipment economy.
A measure set to evolve?
The limit of five mackerel per day could be just the first step. Other species have already experienced similar restrictions. Sea bass, cod and pollack have seen their rules evolve in line with scientific advice.
The central question remains. How to distribute the conservation effort? There were rumors of 10 mackerel per day. In the end, a bonus of 400 tonnes was offered to professionals, and the final quota for recreational fishermen was revised downwards to 5 mackerel per day, sometimes just one line.
Preserving without opposing
The sea is not an Excel spreadsheet. It remains a space for culture, transmission and freedom. But it is not inexhaustible.
Limiting the number of mackerel to five a day won't save the stock on its own Scomber scombrus . On the other hand, the measure sends out a strong political signal: everyone must contribute to the effort. But the effort seems unfair.
One thing is certain. On the dykes of Brittany, Normandy and northern France, the mackerel season will never be quite the same again. A feeling of injustice runs through the veins of recreational fishermen, particularly shore fishermen whose catch is insignificant.
