Allister voices concern at 'unsustainable' cuts to herring quota
North Antrim MP Jim Allister has written to the Defra Secretary of State to express concern at proposals to slash the Irish Sea herring TAC to ‘unsustainable levels’.
Writing to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, Mr Allister said that between 2018 and 2024, the average Total Allowable Catch (TAC) was approximately 7,700 tonnes annually. However, the 2025 TAC was cut by 2,467 tonnes, reducing it to just 5,233 tonnes.
Mr Allister continued: “This equated to a loss of 32% in the value across the herring supply chain. This reduction alone equates to a loss of £3.2 million from the fishery’s combined average value of £10 million (£4.6 million in landings and £5.4 million in exports) for the period 2018–2024.
"If the 2026 if the ICES advice is followed the TAC will be reduced further to 2,935 tonnes (a further 29% cut). This is completely unmanageable for industry, fishing communities and the NI economy and represents a cumulative cut over two years of 61% or a total loss of £6.1 million compared with the average value during 2018–2024. This sustainable, and tightly integrated industry cannot absorb cuts of this magnitude.
"This proposed extreme reduction in Irish Sea herring quota threatens the boats, factories and fishing communities that rely on this sustainable fishery. For a fishery so embedded into our coastal communities to lose 61% of its value over a 2 year period could create a serious knock-on effect for Ardglass, Kilkeel and Portavogie and the wider fishing communities.
"Experts in the field advise me the model upon which the scientific advice is based is flawed. AFBI fisheries scientists have surveyed the Irish Sea and have consistently found healthy stocks of herring. The issue is with the ICES model that is used to calculate TACs. This has been acknowledged as an issue, and a new benchmark will be established to sort out the issues with the model but this will take time (years),” Mr Allister added.
"The industry will fail if we wait on the model to be sorted. We cannot wait for the model to be fixed and for flawed advice to devastate this sustainable and important local industry.
"In order for the industry to have stability and a sustainable outlook we need Defra to ensure a TAC of 6000-7000 tonnes in 2026, while ICES sort out internal issues with the model. If this is not resolved it will result in a disproportionate and negative impact on the Northern Irish fishing industry, communities and economy.”