Waitrose’s halt on the fish follows a warning from marine scientists that mackerel levels in the north-east Atlantic (where most of the UK’s supply is sourced) have fallen to dangerously low levels.
In a statement on its website, Waitrose’s parent firm the John Lewis Partnership confirmed that it would stop the sourcing of “fresh, chilled and frozen mackerel” by 29 April, with tinned mackerel following suit once all stock has been sold.
This decision makes Waitrose the first UK supermarket to take action of this type regarding mackerel, and follows a recommendation made by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in September that north-east Atlantic mackerel catches should be cut by 70% to help rebuild the stock to a sustainable level.
The ICES has made this urgent call as mackerel, which is the most fished species in UK waters, has now dropped below replacement level.
“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,” said Waitrose’s head of agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries, Jake Pickering.
“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, which sources all its mackerel from Scottish waters, has said stocks of the fish will no longer meet its own responsible sourcing standards.
This is despite the fact that the UK, Norway, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland jointly agreed to cut mackerel catches by 48% in December.
The supermarket has confirmed that it would be substituting its mackerel products with a range of “responsibly sourced” options.
It also announced that it would aim to become the first UK retailer to sell 100% Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified tinned sardines.
