NAPA features in The Guardian

NAPA featured in The Guardian newspaper on 17 November 2023 as part of the publication’s ocean series entitled: Seascape: the state of our oceans.

The article unpacked the repercussions of mackerel overfishing in the Northeast Atlantic for seafood companies and retailers who make up NAPA’s membership, stating:

“The £1bn [mackerel] industry, the most economically important for the region, is being overexploited due to repeated failures of states to ensure the total catch is in line with scientific advice, say the coalition, the North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA). Many members, including Youngs, have threatened to stop sourcing from the fisheries if sustainable management is not achieved.”

The article featured a quote from NAPA’s Project Lead, Neil Auchterlonie:

““This is a collective failure by the Coastal States,” said Neil Auchterlonie, project lead for NAPA, a coalition of 50 retailers and suppliers set up in 2019 after MSC certification was lost. “There is a real frustration around the fact that there is no movement on this.””

Several other organistions advocating for changes to fisheries management in the Northeast Atlantic were also attributed, including the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Blue Marine Foundation.

The article called on the UK to “lead by example” in ongoing mackerel quota sharing discussions between the Coastal States.

Photograph: Vickie Flores/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Read The Guardian article

• Date: November 19, 2023