Theguardian iconTheguardianSep 11, 2026

Extra fishy: your tinned mackerel may not be what you think it is

Substitution with jack mackerel, a different species, because of dwindling stocks is criticised by consumer group. If you've recently opened a tin of mackerel and thought there was something fishy going on, you may have been right.

Extra fishy: your tinned mackerel may not be what you think it is

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Substitution with jack mackerel, a different species, because of dwindling stocks is criticised by consumer group.

If you've recently opened a tin of mackerel and thought there was something fishy going on, you may have been right.

An overfishing crisis means that instead of traditional mackerel, some now contain a different fish with a similar name, prompting concerns that shoppers are being short-changed.

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Substitution with jack mackerel, a different species, because of dwindling stocks is criticised by consumer group. If you've recently opened a tin of mackerel and thought there was something fishy going on, you may have been right. An overfishing crisis means that instead of traditional mackerel, some now contain a different fish with a similar name, prompting concerns that shoppers are being short-changed.

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  • Over the past year big brands such as Princes, as well as some supermarket own labels, have replaced traditional tinned mackerel fillets with jack mackerel fillets.

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