NGO issues guide to UK seafood industry on fighting IUU fishing

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) has issued a guide to the U.K. seafood industry, offering detailed advice on how to guard against supporting Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The EJF, along with the British Retail Consortium and the World Wildlife Fund U.K. produced the guide, “An advisory note for the UK supply chain on how to avoid Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishery products.”

The guide describes the problem of IUU fishing, how so-called “pirate” fishermen operate, and how much it costs the industry worldwide, estimated at as much as USD 23.5 billion (EUR 20.8 billion). The guide also offers practical advice, including lists of questions for seafood buyers to ask their suppliers, and key answers to look for.

“This joint advisory note can empower UK importers, processors and retailers to play an increasingly leading role in bringing this destructive trade to an end," said Tracy Cambridge, fisheries and seafood manager at WWF-UK.

The guide also calls for fishery improvements such as improving port controls, central coordination of fish catches and unique identifiers for large fishing vessels.

“We urgently need transparency and traceability in the seafood supply chain, and to secure better governance that ensures the protection of our global seas and oceans,” said Steve Trent, EJF’s executive director. “The technology and management instruments now exist to do this and, crucially, they are economically feasible. What is needed now is the full engagement of the corporate sector, alongside government and other key stakeholders.”

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