The Mackerel stock in the north-east Atlantic have been so severely depleted that ICES advices a 70% cut in fishing quota [1]— it would be a miracle if EU fisheries ministers were to follow this advice… A study led by fisheries biologist Rainer Froese (University of Kiel) accuses the EU of ‚gross mismanagement‘ in the protection of fish stocks, particularly cod and herring. According to Froese, ‚whatever can be done wrong is done wrong‘ [2]. Urgent political action is also needed to prevent the collapse of British fish stocks, the NGO Oceana warns [3].