NOAA Fisheries signed an agreement in November with the European Commission to ensure that US seafood exports to the European Union, valued at more than $1 billion, will not be disrupted by a new EC regulation designed to block illegal fish imports.
The following is a release on the agreement from NOAA Fisheries: A new U.S. catch document, designed to attest to the legality of US fisheries products, will be required in addition to the health certificates, which already accompany all seafood exports. The NOAA Fisheries Seafood Inspection Program will issue the catch document for fish harvested on or after Jan. 1, 2010.
Europe is the number one destination for US seafood exports.
In 2008, the European Commission adopted this regulation establishing the requirement that all seafood imports be accompanied by a catch certificate that attests to the legality of the catch for fisheries products harvested on or after Jan. 1, 2010.
The EC’s intention is to prevent illegal, unreported, and/or unregulated fisheries products from being imported into EC member countries, which are currently estimated at $1.1 billion in value.
NOAA Fisheries recognizes the tremendous negative impact IUU fishing has on global fisheries and has been in close consultation with our European counterparts to develop an agreement on US compliance with the regulation. Illegal fishing depletes fish stocks and hurts the economies of nations and the livelihoods of people who depend on sustainable fishing.
The US agreement with the EC represents a significant achievement for NOAA in terms of preserving foreign markets, maintaining sustainable fisheries, and increasing the competitiveness of US seafood exports.