48th Annual Meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) in Vilnius, Lithuania, September 21-25, 2026
Following the 20-year review of the U.N. bottom fisheries resolutions this year and on the heels of the latest performance review, it is both important to reflect upon progress that has been made and where NAFO can continue to ensure that it fully upholds its modernized Convention, meets obligations to protect biodiversity in areas under its jurisdiction and advances best practices in fisheries management.
NAFO must continue to be a leader in VME protection and the ecosystem approach. The importance of effective governance and conservation measures in international fisheries organizations is further underpinned by the coming into force of the High Seas Treaty to Protect Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), which will have its first CoP in 2027.
To this end, the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition and its 140+ member organizations recommend the following for NAFO this year. Download it here.