Report | January 8, 2020
A comparative study of key data elements in import control schemes aimed at tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the top three seafood markets: the European Union, the United States and Japan
Import control schemes have been adopted by some market States and Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) to monitor seafood imports and curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. These import controls can take the form of Catch Documentation Schemes (CDS), where information on a consignment is recorded throughout the supply chain. However, other types of trade measures exist, including those without a dedicated documentation scheme that instead utilise information available at the point of import to determine the legality of the imported consignment.
Robust import controls are vital for understanding the origin of imported seafood, particularly in the top seafood importing States. This study examines the systems in place in three major markets: the European Union (EU), the United States of America (US) and Japan. In 2016, these three markets together accounted for approximately 64% of the total value of world imports of fish and fish products, or approximately 56% if trade within the EU is excluded.1
Successfully tracing a seafood product through all relevant stages of a supply chain requires intelligence on the who, what, when, where and how. This information is essential and in this study we present the 17 key data elements (KDEs) that we consider fundamental for achieving a robust baseline. These include, but are not limited to, vessel flag, catch area, International Maritime Organization (IMO) number, fishing authorisations, transshipment declarations, unloading ports and catching method.
