A digital certification system for fishery products entering the European Union came into effect on 10 January 2026, replacing previous paper-based controls.
The new platform, known as CATCH, aims to make import checks for seafood more uniform across the EU by streamlining exchanges between traders and regulatory authorities, the European Commission announced on Monday.
The system is designed to enforce EU rules by verifying that imported fishery products are caught legally and meet existing standards.
CATCH is part of the EU’s wider Ocean Pact strategy, which covers policies to protect marine life, foster the "blue economy" — economic activities relating to oceans and coasts — and support people living in coastal regions.
The introduction of CATCH intends to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing — practices that deplete fish stocks and threaten marine biodiversity.
Seafood imports make up about 70% of what Europeans consume, and 80% of those imports are subject to rules targeting IUU fishing.
With CATCH, the EU expects tighter control and better traceability for the majority of seafood imports, reducing the risk of illegally caught products reaching the market.
New digital platform hopes to reduce red tape
The system will also allow national authorities and industry operators to share and verify data more quickly, which the EU said should accelerate administrative processes and reduce paperwork for businesses.
CATCH will be gradually adopted across the EU and is expected to provide more consistent enforcement of fisheries rules as data is collected over time, according to the latest announcement.
