EU Procedure for Seafood Imports to Change Next Year

The European Union’s Fisheries Control Regulation will require businesses exporting fresh or frozen seafood to Europe to digitally document and share product data across the supply chain to verify origin and ensure compliance with regulations. Paper documentation will not be allowed. This shift to an entirely digital system is intended to ensure that all seafood entering the EU market can be traced back to its catch or aquaculture source. Products imported to the EU will be linked to a unique fishing trip identification number or catch certificate. The same requirements for processed seafood and algae-based products begin in 2029.

Specifically, by January 9, 2026, all importers will be required to use the CATCH tool to digitally submit catch certificates. The CATCH system will make it easier to identify and prohibit the importation into the EU of fishery products obtained from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

In Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is coordinating assistance to seafood exporters. “We are working with our members to ensure that everyone in the lobster value chain is aware of the new traceability requirements from the EU and are offering digital solutions through our associate members. There is much work to do to ensure there is a smooth transition which will be challenging for many smaller companies and potentially harvesters,” explained Geoff Irvine, executive director of the Lobster Council of Canada. “We have a Catch Certificate organization that works with the EU Catch system. DFO is in the process of adjusting the forms and processes to allow for these new traceability elements. There are still some questions unanswered but we are working with them to hopefully find solutions.”

In Maine, the upcoming change appears to be flying under the radar of seafood exporters. “I asked a few of the dealers about this last week and none of them were aware of the change,” Marianne LaCroix, executive director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, said in an email.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Seafood Inspection Program is the official U.S. government authority responsible for issuing documents required to export seafood to the EU. Exporters request a Legal Harvest document through NOAA’s online Seafood Inspection Program portal, which generates the required certification. The EU then uses the CATCH system to process and verify the documentation to ensure that the seafood was not a product of illegal fishing.