North East Atlantic blue whiting is less recognisable than its pelagic counterparts (such as herring and mackerel), because it rarely makes it to the consumer market. It is mostly caught for use as fish feed in salmon farming. This small fish migrates huge distances throughout the North East Atlantic, from the west of Ireland to the Arctic Circle. It is mainly fished by Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Russia, the EU and the UK.
Despite blue whiting’s importance to the livelihoods of fishers, processors, feed manufacturers and salmon farmers, Coastal States have failed to agree on how to share catches, instead setting their own unilateral quotas. As a result, catches have been above scientifically advised limits in almost every year since 1995, averaging 30% above the advice in the past decade. The North East Atlantic blue whiting fishery was MSC certified until 2020, when certification was suspended because there was no agreed management plan to prevent overexploitation.
The stock size naturally fluctuates substantially: it is currently large but has recently declined. Scientists warn that continued high catches could cause it to drop rapidly, threatening the future health of the species and the people that rely on it.
We’re sounding the red alert for blue whiting: we can no longer take it for granted that this species will continue to thrive in the face of ongoing overfishing. NAPA’s Blue Whiting Fishery Improvement Project is designed to get the fishery back on track by urgently calling for improvements in management. We want to see this fishery earning its certification once more, which would be a clear sign to the world that this crucial feed source is being well managed and can support responsible seafood production.
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