Webinar: The importance and benefits of robust seafood traceability

This webinar, organised by the EU IUU Fishing Coalition and the Fisheries Control Coalition, brought together EU policymakers, national decision makers and business representatives to discuss why traceability must be strengthened in the new Control Regulation and how to do so.

The success of the EU Common Fisheries Policy relies on the implementation of an effective control and enforcement system. Since September 2021, the future EU fisheries control system has been under trilogue negotiation between EU co-legislators.

The revision of the EU fisheries control system presents an opportunity to tighten the system of control and traceability of seafood within the EU market. Traceability throughout the supply chain is necessary to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. It increases consumer confidence in the provenance and, ultimately, legality of products and prevents fraudulent and/or mislabelled products from entering the market.

11 European wholesalers and retailers, together active in the majority of Member States, have signed a joint statement calling for the revision of the EU fisheries Control Regulation to guarantee the legality of fishing activities at sea, and ensure the legality and full digital traceability of all seafood products entering the EU supply chain, whether fresh or processed. The benefits of traceability, including financial gains to business and industries, have also been highlighted in two recent reports from Planet Tracker.

The event featured a presentation from Planet Tracker and BNP about their latest reports on the financial gains from seafood traceability, as well as speeches from signatories of the wholesalers and retailers joint statement and the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability, followed by an interactive panel discussion with:

Francesca Arena, Head of Unit – Fisheries control and inspections, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission

Bernd Söntgerath, Head of Division – Fisheries Management and Control Issues, German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Britta Gallus, Head of Corporate Responsibility – METRO AG

Paul O Boyle, Managing Director – Diversity Seafoods

Greg Brown, Executive Director – Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST)

François Mosnier, Head of the Oceans Programme – Planet Tracker

Robert-Alexandre Poujade, ESG analyst – BNP Paribas Asset Management

Georg Werner, Country Programme Manager – Environmental Justice Foundation (EU IUU Fishing Coalition)