Ireland’s fishing opportunities for 2026 amount to approximately over 120,000 tonnes, with an estimated first-sale value of €205 million. This represents a decrease of 60,000 tonnes, a decrease of €102 million from 2025. These figures reflect quota outcomes for Ireland across the main pelagic, demersal, and Nephrops stocks for 2026, based on allocations excluding the Hague Preferences.
Pelagic species continue to dominate Ireland’s quota profile in volume and value terms, accounting for most of the tonnage and a substantial share of total economic value. Stocks such as mackerel, horse mackerel, and blue whiting remain central to overall fleet activity and to the supply of raw material to Ireland’s pelagic seafood processing sector.
Total pelagic quota for 2026 amounts to over 93,000 tonnes valued at €73 million a decrease of 52% in value from 2025. Mackerel quota, minus the Hague Preferences (valued at €13 million), sees a quota reduction of 73% to 10,907 tonnes valued at €27 million. The provisional quota set for mackerel, in effect from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026 sets the quota at 90% resulting in 9,816 tonnes valued at €24 million. This 90% allocation results in a current overall Irish quota value of around €203 million – a reduction for all stocks of €105 million in comparison with 2025. The remaining 10% of mackerel will bring in an additional €3 million later in 2026 bringing the overall value of 2026 quota to €205 million as stated in the opening paragraph. Total demersal quota including Nephrops and deepwater fisheries totalled over 33,000 tonnes valued at €132 million, a decrease of 15%.
Quota levels for several key stocks reflect the application of scientific advice aimed at ensuring long-term stock sustainability. As a result, while the overall scale of opportunity remains substantial, the distribution of quota across key stocks presents ongoing challenges for fleet planning, processing throughput, and coastal communities that are highly dependent on specific fisheries. However, the exclusion of the Hague Preferences which had the potential to bring in an estimated extra €19 million in first points of sale, the majority of which was for much needed pelagic stocks (valued at €12 million), will have a significant economic and socio-economic impact on this sector of the seafood industry.
The 2026 quota outcomes reflect the continued balancing act between maintaining viable fishing opportunities and protecting fish stocks in line with scientific advice under the Common Fisheries Policy. For Ireland, this reinforces the importance of maximising value from available quota and maintaining high standards of quality and market positioning.