Illegal, Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing requirements for exporting

Some export markets require catch certification to accompany shipments of fishery products.

The aim of such certification is to prevent imports that are obtained from IUU fishing. 

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) lists which countries require catch certification and offers detailed guidance on how to create a catch certificate:

On 10 January 2026, updated IUU fishing rules took effect for UK exporters to the EU. The changes significantly increased the range of circumstances in which processing statements are required to export fish to the EU. Here’s an overview of how the changes affect different types of UK seafood business:

• Fishing vessel operators exporting to the EU must provide extra data on fishing trip start date, gear type, and the catch area for each product.
• Exporters of UK-landed and UK-processed fish must complete a processing statement for all processed exports that require a catch certificate (including those processed domestically). They must reference the catch certificate for the landed weight that’s being exported.

MMO have, alongside the devolved administrations, been leading on the implementation of the changes. Relevant guidance is available here:

Seafish have been working closely with government to support industry in adapting to the changes. In November 2025, we convened – through our Trade Facilitation Forum – a bespoke workshop dedicated to the updated rules; MMO presented at this, and the presentation recording is available here:

A summary of the questions raised and answers provided through that workshop is available here:

Defra and MMO have meanwhile produced guidance on direct landings of UK-flagged fishing vessels into the EU: 

For further help and advice please contact the regulation team by emailing: regulation@seafish.co.uk.