The North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA) has confirmed a two-year extension to its Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), emphasising the urgent need for responsible management of pelagic fisheries.
NAPA, a global coalition of over 50 retailers and supply chain businesses, launched its FIPs in 2021. The aim is to drive consensus between fishery managers on some of the most important fisheries in the North East Atlantic, such as mackerel, blue whiting, and Atlanto-Scandian herring.
Originally concluding in 2024, the projects have now been extended to 2026, offering what NAPA says is 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's 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 will continue to 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," said Martin. "We will intensify the push for comprehensive quota-sharing agreements among the nations involved. The issue is just too critical to walk away from."
While NAPA recognises this is a complex issue to solve, there have been some signs of progress. In 2024, the UK, Norway, and the Faroe Islands signed a catch-sharing agreement that commits to adhering to specified percentages of the recommended limits. However, this agreement does not include other coastal states: the EU, Iceland, and Greenland.