Confirming a two-year extension to its innovative Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), emphasising the urgent need for responsible management of pelagic fisheries, the NAPA consortium is retailers and supply chain businesses has stated that securing sustainable catch shares is an issue ‘too critical to walk away from.’
The North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA) launched its Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) in 2021 with the aim of driving consensus between fishery managers on some of the most important and politically challenging fisheries in the North East Atlantic: mackerel, blue whiting, and Atlanto-Scandian herring.
Originally expected to conclude in 2024, the projects have now been extended to 2026, offering a final opportunity for Coastal States to secure equitable sharing agreements to halt fishing above scientific guidelines and ensure long-term environmental and business security.
‘Despite three years of relentless efforts from NAPA, the political deadlock has remained,’ said NAPA chair Aoife Martin.
‘Coastal States have continued to prioritise their own interests over the sustainable management of these stocks, leading to continued overfishing. This extended two-year timeline to reach a much-needed political solution marks the beginning of the next chapter for NAPA – one that must reinforce the urgency and prioritise the science.’
With a new deadline for the FIPs, NAPA emphasises that it is more determined than ever to leverage the power of the marketplace and encourage Coastal States to find a way forward to collaborate, compromise, and cut the overall catch.
‘Over the next two years, our coalition will redouble efforts to propose actionable solutions for Coastal States, and we’ll be developing and sharing novel research to support these initiatives,’ she said.
‘We will intensify the push for comprehensive quota-sharing agreements among the nations involved. The issue is just too critical to walk away from.’
Seafood consultant Dr Rob Blyth-Skyrme, whose career has been built on the development of environmentally and economically sustainable approaches to stock management in fisheries, has joined the NAPA team as Project Lead.
‘I firmly believe in NAPA’s mission and the power of collaboration,’ he said
‘But with a big job ahead of us and a ticking clock, we need to focus on action at the scale and pace required for meaningful impact. NAPA is the voice of the global market for pelagic seafood, and our message is loud and clear: we must follow the science. If any of these key stocks were to become overfished, it would be hugely damaging for the credibility of the management process. With Coastal State negotiations happening this week, we urge leaders to recognise that the only solution here is a political one. We have a collective responsibility to protect the environment, ensure long-term business security, and safeguard consumer trust in the fishing industry. It couldn’t be more critical to act now.’
