EU Fisheries Commissioner Faces Pressure to Enforce New Digital Fishing Controls
European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis is facing calls from conservation organizations to fully implement new digital controls aimed at combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. A joint letter from several NGOs urges Kadis to maintain his commitment to the revised fisheries control system, including the Catch Certification Scheme (CATCH) and the Fisheries Control Regulation.
New Digital System Aims to Streamline Seafood Import Controls
CATCH, a digital system for seafood imports, went into effect on January 10, 2026, replacing the previous paper-based process. The system requires importers to provide digital documentation including the unique vessel identification number, the start date of the fishing trip, gear type, and location of the catch European Commission. The goal is to streamline information exchange between EU traders and control authorities, ensuring imported products meet EU regulatory standards and creating a level playing field for EU fishers.
Fisheries Control Regulation Faces Concerns
Alongside CATCH, a new Fisheries Control Regulation was developed, requiring electronic tracking systems for all EU fishing vessels and the digitization of catch reporting. Whereas the regulation is not set to fully take effect for another two years, some commercial fishing groups have already expressed concerns. LIFE, representing modest-scale fishers across 15 EU member states, reported protests from commercial fishers in Spain following the implementation of CATCH WWF.
Concerns center on a lack of clarity regarding the implementation of the digitization system, including electronic logbooks and mandatory Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) for small-scale vessels.
Member State Concerns and Kadis’ Response
During the January meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (Agrifish), several EU member states – Belgium, Czechia, France, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, and Spain – raised concerns about the “administrative burdens” of the new regulations, citing a “genuine impossibility of implementing certain obligations.”
Commissioner Kadis responded by urging member states not to unilaterally exempt their fishers from the new regulations, emphasizing the significance of the revised control system and the success of the CATCH launch, with 1,500 import declarations validated in the first ten days Environmental Justice Foundation.
Kadis clarified that some issues attributed to CATCH were not new obligations but rather stemmed from inconsistent application of the EU catch certification scheme in its previous paper format, stressing the responsibility of each Member State to prepare its operators for the new system.
NGOs Urge Continued Commitment
The joint letter from the Environmental Justice Foundation, BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas At Risk, and the World Wildlife Fund European Policy Office, reinforces the importance of strong EU rules to combat IUU fishing, protect European fish populations, and encourage third countries to address illegal and unsustainable fishing practices Seas At Risk.