Publication
Fishery products subject to IUU requirements, most wild-caught marine fish
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Since 1 January 2021 most wild-caught fin fish travelling to the UK will require a Catch Certificate and potentially other commercial and supporting documents (for example: storage documents and processing statements if applicable).
The process for exporting fishery products is outlined below:
1. For fishery products caught by an Irish fishing vessel, the Export Certificate System (ECS) is used by exporters, Food Business Operators, or agents, to acquire Irish catch certificates and Irish processing statements/Annex IVs for exports to the UK only.
2. IUU/Catch Certificates must be validated by the fishery authorities of the flag state of the vessel which caught the fish.
3. Exporters are required to apply for catch certificates via the online Export Certification System (ECS); There are two means of accessing the ECS, either as an Unregistered User or a Registered User. For registered external individual users or external partners click here .
4. In order to obtain an IUU/Catch Certificate for fishery products caught by an Irish vessel, you will have to complete the relevant sections of the application and obtain validation from the SFPA; (i) details of the catching vessel(s), (ii) amount of fish by species and weight, (iii) presentation and state, such as whole or filleted, fresh or frozen, (iv) commodity code.
5. Guidance on how to complete a Catch Cert application can be accessed here .
6. In terms of a timeframe for IUU/Catch Certificates, SFPA request IUU/Catch Certificate applications 48 hours before dispatch but each case will vary. Timescales for validation, processing and cross checks of IUU/Catch Certificate applications will depend on a number of factors; including the complexity of the consignment and the quality of the information provided in the original application. As a general principle the more detail provided in the original application and the less the number of landings, vessels, and first-buyers, the more time-effectively it may be dealt with by SFPA. IUU/Catch Certificates require details of all landings including dates, vessel names, quantity, and species (all itemised). However, landbridge movements will not require an IUU/Catch certificate.
7. Completed applications on the ECS will be reviewed, and if deemed suitable will be approved by the SFPA. This application must be then validated; this requires signatures from both the applicant/exporter and the SFPA. Once validated, this document becomes the original document and is provided to the applicant (typically the Irish exporter) for onward provision.
8. The IUU/Catch Certificate should then be forwarded to the UK importer so they can liaise with the competent authority at the point of entry at the final destination.
9. Various customs requirements exist for such trade. Fishery products are regarded as ‘Controlled Goods’ and will need customs declarations from 1 January 2022.
10. IUU/Catch Certificates must be submitted to the local UK port authorities, at the point of entry to the UK, at least 2 hours before arrival and are the responsibility of the UK (excl. NI) based importer.
11.Consignments can continue to arrive via any port. No fees are currently charged directly to exporters for provision of catch certification.
12. Direct landings by Irish vessels are a form of food export. These will need to arrive at designated UK ports, with IUU documentation including an IUU/Catch Certificate and pre-landing declaration, and North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) documentation including a Port State Control (PSC) form.
13. For direct landings, the IUU/Catch Certificate application is made to the SFPA through the onboard Electronic Recording and Reporting System (ERS) system, not through the ECS
14. The UK Government has indicated that direct landings from EU vessels in the UK (excl. NI) will be permitted into those ports already dual designated for IUU and NEAFC purposes. The UK government is also considering designating further ports, and a list of these will be published in due course.
15. Direct landings of EU vessels into Northern Irish ports are not subject to IUU controls but are subject to NEAFC controls. The United Kingdom has designated seven ports in Northern Ireland for third country landings, namely Ardglass; Bangor; Belfast; Kilkeel; Derry/Londonderry; Portavogie; Warrenpoint. Belfast has been designated as a Border Control Post, which allows for the landing of frozen fish.
For procedural review of IUU/Catch Certificates Application and Processing Statement Application using ECS, please see the following guidance documents
For information on fisheries exports after the 1 January 2021 please click here
For information on exporting live fish and shellfish to GB please click here
For queries in relation to this or any other aspect of fisheries exports please contact mailto:brexitfisheriesgroup@agriculture.gov.ie or mailto:sfpabrexit@sfpa.ie
16. Direct landings of EU vessels into Northern Irish ports are not subject to IUU controls but are subject to NEAFC controls. The United Kingdom has designated seven ports in Northern Ireland for third country landings, namely Ardglass; Bangor; Belfast; Kilkeel; Derry/Londonderry; Portavogie; Warrenpoint. Belfast has been designated as a Border Control Post, which allows for the landing of frozen fish.
For procedural review of IUU/Catch Certificates Application and Processing Statement Application using ECS, please see the following guidance documents
For information on fisheries exports after the 1 January 2021 please click here
For information on exporting live fish and shellfish to GB please click here
For queries in relation to this or any other aspect of fisheries exports please contact brexitfisheriesgroup@agriculture.gov.ie or sfpabrexit@sfpa.ie