Seafood from Trinidad and Tobago entering US despite European ban, Oceana analysis finds

A view from the bow of a fishing boat from Trinidad and Tobago
After the E.U. banned seafood from Trinidad and Tobago due to its lack of action against IUU, the U.S. has continued to import large volumes of seafood from the island nation | Photo courtesy of Oceana/Alessandro Donelli
4 Min

An analysis of U.S. trade and import data by Oceana has discovered seafood from Trinidad and Tobago has continued to enter the U.S. market in large volumes even as the European Union bans the products due to the country's alleged non-cooperation in the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The E.U. issued Trinidad and Tobago with a yellow card in 2016, a warning that the country must improve its fisheries governance in order to remain compliant with E.U. import rules. At the time the E.U. said the country had not implemented adequate monitoring and control of fishing activities, and had not imposed penalties to punish and deter illegal fishing. 

The E.U.’s yellow-card system has in the past guided countries including Kiribati and Thailand in addressing IUU-related issues. However, if the E.U. decides a yellow-carded country is not doing enough to rectify its problems, it can issue a red card, resulting in a ban on its seafood products from entering the E.U.. 

Trinidad and Tobago was issued a red card on 25 September 2023, with the E.U. citing a lack of oversight on landings in the country's ports. 

But Oceana's research of trade data found the U.S. has continued to import seafood from Trinidad and Tobago despite the issues with IUU identified by the E.U. According to the data, the U.S. imported more than 1.5 million pounds of seafood valued at more than USD 11 million (EUR 10 million) from the country between September 2023 and July 2024 – after the E.U.’s ban came into effect.

“The United States can’t claim to take illegal fishing seriously when they allow countries with bad track records to supply our seafood dinners,” Oceana Campaign Director Max Valentine said. “The European Union’s seafood ban on Trinidad and Tobago should raise red flags and serve as a wake-up call for the United States.”

According to Oceana, the U.S. has the power to sanction nations that fail to address IUU fishing. 

“The U.S. government must block seafood imports from countries that continue to allow illegal fishing by its vessels,” Valentine said. “American consumers should have confidence that the seafood they buy is safe, legally caught, responsibly sourced, and honestly labeled.” 

It isn’t the first analysis by Oceana to claim the U.S. is failing to stop IUU-sourced seafood from entering the country, as in 2023, it ... 


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