Seafood Exporter Toolkit

The Seafood Exporter Toolkit outlines the regulatory requirements of major seafood import control schemes (ICSs) in the EU, US, Japan, and Korea, aiming to reduce IUU fishing and forced labor. It details specific documentation needs, such as catch certificates and traceability data, while advocating for the global harmonization of key data elements (KDEs) to reduce administrative burdens and close enforcement loopholes. The guide also covers additional US policies like the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, and the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

• The EU IUU Regulation employs a 'carding scheme' to incentivize non-EU member states to combat IUU fishing, using a system of green, yellow, and red cards. A red card identifies a 'non-cooperating country,' which leads to an 'immediate ban on all exports from vessels flying that country’s flag.'
• The US Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) requires importers of record to provide chain of custody data from harvest to entry for 13 species and species groups (approximately 1,100 unique species) identified as vulnerable to IUU fishing or seafood fraud.
• Japan's Act on Ensuring the Proper Domestic Distribution and Importation of Specified Aquatic Animals and Plants, effective December 2022, categorizes species into Class I (domestic regulation) and Class II (import regulation). Class II species, including certain squid, cuttlefish, Pacific saury, mackerel, and sardine, require a catch certificate from the flag state's competent authority.
• Korea's import control system consists of a catch documentation scheme (CDS), an imported traceability system (STS), and a domestic STS. The CDS was largely established after the EU issued a yellow card to Korea in 2013 due to illegal operations targeting croakers in West Africa.
• The US utilizes several specialized import programs managed by NOAA, including the Tuna Tracking and Verification Program (TTVP) for 'dolphin-safe' certifications, the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) International Trade Program, and the Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMR) Program for toothfish and krill.
• The US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) import provisions require exporting nations to have bycatch reduction programs comparable to US standards. Failure to meet these standards can result in the requirement of a 'Certificate of Admissibility' for certain products, as seen with specific fisheries in Mexico's Upper Gulf of California.
• The US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) establishes a 'rebuttable presumption' that goods produced wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China, or by listed entities, are made with forced labor and are prohibited from entry.
• The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which entered into force on July 25, 2024, requires large companies to identify and address adverse human rights and environmental impacts in their operations and value chains, with mandatory compliance by 2027.
• There is a significant risk of a 'patchwork of non-harmonized import controls' as more governments adopt unilateral measures. This inconsistency creates administrative burdens for businesses and creates loopholes that 'allow IUU and forced labor-produced products to enter the market.'

APA

WWF International (n.d.). Seafood Exporter Toolkit. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/207/7nmjbws3dn_WWF_Seafood_Exporters_Toolkit_Eng_NEW_1.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Seafood Exporter Toolkit. n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/207/7nmjbws3dn_WWF_Seafood_Exporters_Toolkit_Eng_NEW_1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Seafood Exporter Toolkit |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/207/7nmjbws3dn_WWF_Seafood_Exporters_Toolkit_Eng_NEW_1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndseafood, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Seafood Exporter Toolkit}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/207/7nmjbws3dn_WWF_Seafood_Exporters_Toolkit_Eng_NEW_1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }