The North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA) will end its Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) for mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring on 5 October 2026, citing a lack of political progress on quota sharing and catch limits.
The group said that fishing nations have failed to agree on a comprehensive sharing arrangement or to reduce catches in line with scientific advice, despite six years of industry-led efforts.
No agreement despite six years of work
NAPA said it has worked since 2020 to push three core demands: adherence to science, a full quota-sharing deal, and a dispute-resolution system.
The organisation engaged ministers, industry, coastal states and NGOs. It also developed policy proposals and analysed catch data to support a unified sharing model.
Some progress was made, but not enough to resolve the long-running dispute, according to the statement.
Companies step away from fisheries
Without an agreement, many companies have begun to review sourcing. Some have already withdrawn from these fisheries.
NAPA said these decisions have created costs and disruption across supply chains. It warned that sourcing may shift to other regions with weaker oversight.
The group stressed that a durable solution in the North East Atlantic remains critical.
New strategy planned after October
NAPA will transition away from the two FIPs between April and October 2026 while developing a new advocacy approach.
It said it remains committed to the fisheries and aims to return sourcing once a long-term agreement is in place.
The organisation added that strong consumer demand and the sector’s economic value underline the need for a science-based deal.