Photo by Mick Haupt
Scotland’s £1 billion fishing and seafood sector faces significant regulatory changes as new EU import requirements around traceability come into force on 10 January 2026, prompting urgent calls for industry preparation across the entire supply chain.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), working with the Scottish Government, has launched the #FishTraceShip campaign to support businesses ahead of the deadline. With seafood exports accounting for 70% of Scotland’s total seafood industry, the changes affect fishers, merchants, processors and exporters serving crucial EU markets.
The new rules, introduced under the EU’s Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing regulations, significantly expand documentation requirements for seafood entering the bloc. From January 2026, processing statements will become mandatory for seafood caught and landed by UK vessels and then processed in the UK prior to export—a requirement that previously applied only to seafood caught by non-UK vessels.
The EU has broadened its definition of “processing” to include cutting, filleting, canning, smoking, salting, cooking, pickling, drying or any other preparation for market. Seafood that has only been frozen or packed will not require a processing statement. The new rules also require processing statements to detail the weights of each species contributing to a processed product, adding a further layer of data collection and verification.
Robert Watson, operational lead (onshore) at the Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government, said the changes represent “a significant change for businesses”. He urged Scottish processors and exporters to “act now”, emphasising that “understanding the new EU rules and using our support tools will be key to meeting the new requirements”.
The UK Government is updating the Fish Export Service (FES) to ensure the IT system can provide the catch certificates, processing statements and non-manipulation documents required by the EU. The updates are being introduced on a phased basis to allow users to familiarise themselves with the changes ahead of the deadline.
The Marine Management Organisation has warned that businesses need to “make sure you know whether this affects your business right now and take action if it does”. The organisation emphasised that even fishers who don’t export directly may be affected, as without the additional information, they may not be able to sell their produce to processors who export to the EU.
Additional mandatory fields being introduced to the catch certificate system include fishing trip start dates, all transport documentation, gear type used, and fishing area information. These fields, introduced in phases throughout 2025, will become mandatory from 10 January 2026 to meet EU requirements.
The UK Government has launched a series of webinars and engagement events to support industry preparation, with sessions scheduled for 10 and 17 December. The MMO is also recruiting fishers, merchants and exporters to join a research panel to help design and implement the FES updates.
Scotland’s seafood sector supports thousands of jobs and remains a cornerstone of the national economy and lifeline for many coastal and island communities. The changes are unrelated to the UK-EU reset deal concluded in May 2025, and instead reflect the EU’s broader efforts to support traceability of fish produce entering the common market and prevent illegal imports.
Industry stakeholders can stay updated on the new changes by signing up for the Fish, Trace, Ship newsletter and accessing guidance published by the Marine Management Organisation.