In 2019 and 2020, NAPA developed two Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) in response to the suspension of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certifications for North East Atlantic mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and North East Atlantic blue whiting fisheries. One FIP covers mackerel and herring while the other covers blue whiting. Utilising up-to-date science and bold advocacy, these policy FIPs were the first of their kind across the fisheries management landscape.

These FIPs have been an integral part of NAPA’s advocacy work over the last five years. Through them, we have engaged with key actors, including Ministers, negotiators and the fishing industry, developed policy papers, led conference discussions, and delivered advocacy campaigns. We have also developed a model sharing arrangement that could be a solution to the political stalemate. Despite these efforts, the Coastal States deadlock remains, and there is still no sharing agreement that keeps catches in line with the scientific advice.

While our FIPs will come to an end in early October 2026, NAPA businesses remain committed to supporting long-term improvements in these fisheries. Between April and October 2026, NAPA will transition away from our FIPs, using the final 6 months to keep pushing for better management while developing a new model that can address the climate and governance challenges these fisheries face.

North East Atlantic mackerel and Atlanto-Scandian herring FIP

The NAPA Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) for North East Atlantic mackerel and Atlanto-Scandian herring is a concept designed, scoped, and executed by NAPA to drive sustainability into these iconic pelagic fisheries over five years (2021-2026). The ultimate goal of the FIP is to advocate for Coastal States to come together and enact science-based and robust fisheries management strategies.

North East Atlantic blue whiting FIP

NAPA has developed a similar tool to the mackerel and herring FIP to drive improvements into a third key pelagic stock: North East Atlantic blue whiting. Blue whiting is an important ‘feed fish’, used within salmon aquaculture production. Consequently, NAPA’s FIP for blue whiting is structured around the MarinTrust Improver Programme – a unique international certification programme for marine ingredients, befitting the blue whiting fishery.

What problems do the FIPs aim to solve?

For more than a decade, Coastal States decision-makers have been unable to collectively agree on sustainable quota shares for North East Atlantic mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and North East Atlantic blue whiting. This has led to years of unilateral quota setting and overfishing. Even with the scientific evidence and long-term management strategies to hand, a lack of cooperation between Coastal States stands in the way of securing a sustainable future for pelagic fisheries.

What makes the FIPs novel?

The NAPA FIPs were a new type of Fishery Improvement Project focused on advocacy, recognising that the barriers to the sustainable management of North East Atlantic pelagic stocks are political.

Whilst traditional FIPs focus on the need to enact data collection or develop management strategies, the NAPA FIPs acknowledge that these pelagic fisheries are in the unusual position of being data-rich, well-understood, and with proposed management strategies published. The barriers to enacting sustainable management centre around decision-making and political will: hence the novel ‘policy’ focus of the FIPs.

How are NAPA partners driving the FIPs forward?

Chaired by Aoife Martin alongside Technical Lead, Rob Blyth-Skyrme, NAPA members meet regularly to review priorities, assess progress against goals, and determine approaches to advocating for sustainable management of pelagic stocks in the North East Atlantic. Individual members support the FIPs through their own correspondence with Coastal States, as well as collectively – through NAPA. Members share their perspectives on the market as well as their expertise, making NAPA a powerful collective voice.

What is NAPA’s approach?

NAPA’s approach is to pursue direct communication with Coastal States representatives to advocate for responsive, precautionary decision-making and adherence to sustainable catch levels. In addition, NAPA meets regularly with the catching sector to encourage cross-sector support.

NAPA has been calling on North East Atlantic Coastal States to:

NAPA Calls for

1. Agree sustainable catch shares

All Coastal States must prioritise resolving the allocation issues around these stocks. As this has proved difficult to date, NAPA has recommended a dispute resolution mechanism be employed to prevent unilateral quota-setting.

2. Follow the science

In addition, all Coastal States should ensure that the overall catch for each stock does not exceed International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) scientific advice. Each year Coastal States agree to follow the advice and set TACs at the scientific advice level. However, because of a lack of political will to agree on allocations, these TACs are collectively exceeded, year on year. This overfishing must end.

3. Commit to long-term management

Finally, multi‐annual management should be the underlying approach by default. All stakeholders benefit from agreeing to and working toward long‐term sustainable management objectives. That includes stable sharing arrangements and harvest strategies that include precautionary harvest control rules for setting catch limits, a periodic review process, and any necessary mechanisms to transition from previous arrangements to a new system.

To ensure full transparency of its work, the FIPs are independently audited and follow MSC certification criteria as benchmarks for sustainable practices.