The Fisheries Import Control Scheme Handbook
Posted on November, 21 2025
To mark World Fisheries Day 2025, the EU IUU Fishing Coalition (EJF, Oceana, TNC, Pew, WWF EU) and partners in the IUU Forum Japan and the U.S. IUU Fishing and Labor Rights Coalition released a new joint global guide on import control schemes to block illegal seafood from entering the market.
The Fisheries Import Control Scheme Handbook shows how well-designed import control schemes (ICS) can be developed to effectively block fish and seafood caught illegally. It is the first global guide of its kind and offers practical tools for policymakers to strengthen national import control systems for wild-caught fisheries.
Why this matters:
- Import control schemes help confirm the legality of products along the supply chain, ensuring that seafood is harvested following national, regional and international conservation and management measures.
- Illegal fishing is a severe threat to global food security, and marine biodiversity and it is often linked to labour and human rights abuses.
- It is estimated that one in five seafood products worldwide is caught illegally.
- With complete and verifiable traceability, import control schemes could effectively reduce the trade of illegally caught seafood.
Download the report or executive summary, or explore the interactive story.
Fishing boat against mountain backdrop harvesting herring spawn
© National Geographic stock Paul Nicklen/WWF Canada
Fishing boat against mountain backdrop harvesting herring spawn
© National Geographic stock Paul Nicklen/WWF Canada
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