Three more organisations – Ocean Brands of Canada, Simplot Australia, and Bolton Group of Italy – have pledged their support to the North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA), the supply chain group that wants to secure the long-term, science-based management of Northeast Atlantic pelagic stocks in the wake of the catch share deadlock among coastal states.
Last year, NAPA welcomed 21 new businesses to its 50-strong membership, including Woolworths South Africa and Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU).
These latest additions represent NAPA’s first partners from Canada, Australia and Italy. They are also big players in the global marketplace with a portfolio of food brands, including John West Australia, Ocean’s, Gold Seal, Millionnaires, Rio Mare, Saupiquet, Isabel and Cuca.
Their seafood products are consumed across Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
“We’re delighted to welcome three new partners to NAPA’s growing collective who are invested in restoring the sustainability credentials of Northeast Atlantic mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring, and Northeast Atlantic blue whiting. We now have partner companies from Asia, Africa, North America, Australia, and Europe on board,” NAPA Project Lead, Dr Tom Pickerell, said.
“The Northeast Atlantic is incredibly productive, busy, and lucrative when it comes to commercial fisheries. The rapid growth in NAPA membership goes to show the importance that food service businesses, processors, brands, buyers, and retailers everywhere are placing on the sustainable management of these pelagic stocks.”
Luciano Pirovano, Global Sustainable Development Director Food of Bolton Group, explained, “We’ve joined NAPA as the problematic management of pelagic stocks in the Northeast Atlantic is an element of worry for us and against our values: we are committed to the responsible sourcing of all our fish to ensure the long-term prosperity of the stocks and to protect the health of the oceans – this is also part of our transformational partnership with WWF.
“Our commitments turn into practice not only through our procurement activities, but also through our advocacy activities, of which NAPA is part.
”The fact that the global marketplace has set aside competition in order to come together and advocate for sustainable fisheries management speaks to the seriousness of the issue.”
NAPA was launched in 2019 in response to an emergent trend for unilateral quota-setting above the scientific advice within the Northeast Atlantic region. This compromised sustainability, provoked overfishing, and forfeited Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for all fisheries from three key pelagic stocks – Northeast Atlantic mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring and blue whiting.
Since its inception, NAPA has attracted a range of household name retailers and supply chain businesses operating all over the world, including Tesco, M&S, Aldi, Young’s Seafood, Thai Union and Princes, representing more than an €800 million share of Northeast Atlantic pelagic seafood purchasing.
United by a common goal to secure robustly managed pelagic stocks, NAPA partners stand firmly together as the unified, global voice of the marketplace.
