Fish, Trace, Ship - Three weeks to go, UK seafood industry must be ready by 8 January
With just three weeks remaining until new EU Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing regulations come into effect, all fishermen, seafood processors, exporters and transporters are being urged to act now before time runs out.
Brixham Harbour
To ensure a smooth transition, the UK has set 8 January 2026 as the deadline for industry readiness ahead of the new EU regulations coming into effect. By this date, MMO, working with all UK Fishing Administrations, want to make sure all sections of the supply chain understand the changes, and are compliant so exports can continue to move without disruption.
This includes those in the catching sector who need to understand that they must provide additional information to support exports down the supply chain. Without it they may not be able to sell their products.
To support industry, technical step-by-step videos are now available online to help industry navigate the changes around the new information fields required within the Fish Export Service system. MMO is also working on template label examples to support stages in the supply chain in response to feedback from industry.
Nicholas Greenwood, MMO’s Head of Marine Protection and Operations Services, said:
The UK seafood industry has consistently shown resilience and ability to adapt to new challenges. As we rapidly approach 8 January UK deadline, we are asking businesses to be ready and compliant in advance.
We’ve now introduced tools such as the videos and shortly label examples to help make compliance for you easier and simpler. They are offered as a practical tool to help fishers and exporters meet the new requirements. Catch Certification and additional information requirements for all seafood exports will be compulsory. There is no grace period, exports without the correct documentation after the deadline risk being disrupted.
If you have not done so already, prepare now, be compliant by 8 January, and safeguard your export market access.
MMO continues to provide extensive support through the Fish, Trace, Ship campaign, including:
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A series of how to videos covering Catch Certificates, Processing Statements, CSV uploads and Non-Manipulation Document.
For more information, visit the Fish, Trace, Ship campaign site: Fish, Trace, Ship - Act Now! Are you on board?