Guidance

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Updated 17 December 2025

1. Introduction

We have been notified that some UK-flagged vessels are attempting to land in EU ports without meeting the required procedures. We are liaising with the EU to clarify requirements and ensure landings can continue smoothly.

To comply, the following documentation must be submitted:

• Prior notification:
  • 4 hours before arrival for fresh fish
  • 72 hours before arrival for frozen fish
• Pre-landing declaration: 4 hours before arrival
• UK catch certificate:
  • Estimated weights submitted prior to arrival
  • Subsequent catch certificate with accurate weights submitted after landing
• NEAFC PSC completion

Since 10 January 2026, the EU requires use of the CATCH digital platform (via TRACES NT) for import declarations and recording supporting catch certificate information. The UK Single Liaison Office (SLO) has identified cases where UK catch certificates have not been uploaded correctly.

Please ensure that your EU importer or agent:

• Is registered on TRACES NT
• Has appropriate access to CATCH
• Can correctly submit import declarations and upload UK catch certificate information

Failure to do so may result in vessels being refused permission to unload in EU ports

Please note:

A UK catch certificate in PDF format must be submitted to the relevant EU Member State before arrival.

If the landing is sold within the EU or transported to another EU Member State:

• A replacement certificate with final weights must be created in FES
• This must be uploaded to CATCH before the landing is released
• The original certificate must be voided in FES

If the fishery products are being landed into an EU port and then transported back to the UK or another country outside of the EU then the second catch certificate will not be required.

2. Catch Certificate

2.1 For store pots, is start date of the trip the day of collection?

 Yes, that is correct. The start date is not the date the pots were deployed

2.2 Where should I get catch area and gear type information from?

You should obtain catch area and gear type details from the fisherman or the individual/company from whom the fish was purchased. It is the exporter’s responsibility to acquire this data from their supply chain and assure themselves the information is accurate. We encourage everyone across the supply chain to maintain communication and pass that information along. Labels are one method of passing on this information.

A list of gear codes is available on GOV.UK guidance here: Gear Type – GOV.UK. These codes are standardised for use in the system.

2.3 If a fishing boat has been fishing on the edge of a zone and has drifted between two zones, what zone should I enter on the catch certificate?

The system allows you to enter multiple EEZs for each landing on a catch certificate, should products have been caught across several EEZs.

3. Transport Details

3.1 Can documentation be completed after dispatch, or must it be done before? When does the Catch Certificate need to be completed by?

Documents can be created as a draft up to 7 days in advance of an export taking place. Once a document has been submitted there is no capability for the document to be amended. If the document requires amendments users can clone the original certificate and apply the corrections this way. They must void the original certificate once the replacement document has been created.

3.2 In terms of transport details asking for documents/references, what is required?

This could include the Bill of lading, CMR or airway bill. Including additional transport document reference is not mandatory, but this extra information can be added where known.

Freight bill number is mandatory where applicable.

Currently the trailer number is not a mandatory field, but the registration number of the transport is mandatory.

3.3 What transport information do I need to provide on the Catch Certificate, especially if goods are moved by truck and where the containers are transferred between vehicles?

For each method of transport used to export the consignment (e.g. road, sea, air), exporters need to provide a form of transport identification.

• Road transport: The registration number of the truck or tractor unit must be entered.
• For other transport modes, such as sea or air, a relevant identifier (e.g. vessel name, IMO number, flight number) will be required.

3.4 What happens if the Fish Export Service website goes down?

We understand the critical need for uninterrupted trade processes, including during periods when systems may be unavailable outside of standard operating hours. To address this, we are actively developing comprehensive contingency plans that cover both in-hours and out-of-hours scenarios. These measures aim to ensure trade can continue to be facilitated with minimal disruption, regardless of when an outage occurs.

These processes are subject to regular reviews to ensure they remain effective and responsive to emerging challenges. Our goal is to provide a robust framework that supports uninterrupted operations and maintains compliance at all times.

3.5 Why was the CMR question removed, and what does this mean for me? 

Previously, when completing a storage document, you were asked: 
“Do you have a road transport document (CMR) to go with this export?” 
This question was removed from the non-manipulation document application. This means: 

• You will always need to enter transport details from the point of export for each method used (road, sea, air), even if you have a CMR. 

• For road transport, provide the truck or tractor unit registration number. 

• For sea or air, provide the vessel name, IMO number, or flight number. 

We made this change to align with new EU requirements and improve traceability.  

4. Processing Statement

4.1 What counts as “processing”?

Processing constitutes any preparation for market, which includes activities such as cutting, filleting, canning, smoking, salting, cooking, pickling, drying.

Products that have exclusively undergone freezing, washing/cleaning, re-icing and/or packing do not require a processing statement.

4.2 For fishery products processed in the EU and then again in the UK, will we need to create the processing statement against the original catch certificates?

Yes, a UK processing statement will need to be created to account for any processing that occurred within the UK. This processing statement will need to accompany the catch certificate and processing statement that came from the EU.

5. Non-manipulation document (previously Storage Document)

5.1 Why has the name changed from storage document?

The name change from storage document to non-manipulation document has been made to align with the EU’s terminology for this document.

6. Indirect Exports

6.1 What is an indirect export? How do the EU rules affect indirect exports, and how is the UK ensuring compliance with these requirements?

An indirect export refers to seafood that is imported into the UK, then stored or processed, and re-exported to another destination (e.g. the EU). For these exports, all required EU IUU documentation, such as catch certificates, processing statements, and non-manipulation documents must be complete and accurate. Missing or incorrect paperwork can lead to delays at the border, rejection of consignment, or non-compliance with EU import controls. To support this, the UK has aligned its systems with EU requirements and is using updated EU IUU documentation templates to ensure all necessary information is included.

7. Labelling

7.1 What are the EU’s labelling requirements, and how will they be enforced?

The following link provides guidance to the requirements for labelling of fishery products for marketing within the UK: Traceability and labelling information for fisheries products – GOV.UK.

7.2 What if we have fish from multiple trips from a vessel in one lot being as exported as one?

You could number the boxes to correspond with the labels to avoid mixing up boxes/labels. In the meantime, MMO and other DGs are working to make this situation as seamless as possible.

7.3 Is the catch certificate number required on labels?

The catch certificate number is required on the label for entry into the EU market. This is required for the lot, not individual products.

8. EU CATCH

8.1 What is EU CATCH?

CATCH is part of the European Commission’s online platform for managing sanitary and phytosanitary certifications for trade in animals, products, and plants (Traces NT). The CATCH part is used to electronically certify that fish and fishery products have been caught legally and meet EU import rules; preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

8.2 Do I need to use CATCH if I’m based in Great Britain?

No. CATCH will be mandatory for EU operators from 10 January 2026. However, under the Windsor Framework, importers in Northern Ireland will need to use it.

9. EU CATCH and integration with UK FES

9.1 Are there plans to link gear type to PLNs?

There are no current plans to have a link between PLNs and gear type within the Fish Export Service. In instances where vessels have multiple gears it would not be possible to automatically populate this field. 

9.2 Is manual MMO authentication still needed for non-registered inshore/in-river vessels?

Yes, a manual workaround will remain in place for non-powered vessels.

10. TRACES NT

10.1 We were told there would be a new requirement for TRACES NT with each shipment; can you tell us more about TRACES NT?

TRACES NT is the European Commission’s digital system for managing all sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, supporting the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the European Union.

For fishery products, the CATCH system within TRACES NT is used to verify catch certificates and is mandatory for EU (including Northern Ireland) imports under the revised IUU Regulation.

10.2 What information is required to generate EU catch certificates via TRACES, and does TRACES require the same data fields as UK systems (such as FES)?

UK exporters must use the UK Fish Export Service to obtain validated catch documentation required for export. There is no obligation for UK exporters to manually enter this information, once validated, onto EU CATCH.

The UK’s Fish Export Service is now integrated with EU CATCH to facilitate the digital transfer of information, ensuring UK seafood exports remain attractive to the EU.

11. FES/CATCH Integration

11.1 What is EU CATCH and how does FES integration work?

EU CATCH is the EU’s digital system for managing and verifying seafood import documentation. The UK Fish Export Service (FES) is now fully integrated with CATCH, automatically transferring catch certificates, processing statements, and non-manipulation documents.

Exporters do not need to change how they create documents in FES but should continue sending PDF copies to importers as usual as a safeguard. Integration reduces manual data entry for EU importers, though errors in submitted data can still cause delays or rejection, so accuracy is essential.

FES displays an integration status in the EU CATCH integration column on the FES dashboard: Pending, Success, or Failure.

1. Pending – the information is still in the process of being sent.
2. Success – the information has transferred to EU Catch successfully.
3. Failure – the information has not transferred to EU CATCH.

Users can click the link in the column to check the integration status. Please note, a ‘check status’ link will only appear for exports going to the EU.

Regardless of this status, exporters should continue normal processes and provide PDFs to support smooth export handling.