Legislation has been implemented that requires the importation of fishery products into the UK to be accompanied by one or more of the following:
Original catch certificate(s)
Required when the country exporting the fish is the same as the country the catching vessel is flagged to (this may be a printed electronic version dependant on the country issuing the catch certificate e.g. Canada, Norway).
Original signed processing statement (Annex IV) and copy of catch certificate(s)
Required when the fishery product(s) are processed (before export) in a country that is not the same as the flag state of the catching vessel.
Original storage document with copy of catch certificate(s)
Required when the fish is stored (before export) in a country that is not the same as the flag state of the catching vessel and/or processing country.
Importers declaration
All catch certificates submitted (original and copy) must have the importer’s declaration section completed by the importer or their representative. As an alternative a Multiple Catch Certificate Summary Document can be downloaded, completed, signed and submitted with the catch certificate documentation.
Copy commercial documents
Accompanying commercial documents such as a bill of lading, invoice and packing list are also required.
Digitally signed catch certificate
Some countries have schemes that allow catch certificates to be applied for and generated electronically. Some (but not all) contain a web page where competent authorities can carry out a compliance check.
Where there is no validation system then formal verifications of catch certificates as described above will need to be carried out.
