On 9 September 2025, the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency (CFT) launched its first UK report, Criminal Catches: How to Stop the Illegal Flow of Seafood into the UK, at a Parliamentary Roundtable in Westminster. The event, chaired by Barry Gardiner MP, brought together parliamentarians and experts to address the growing risks posed by illegally caught seafood entering the UK market.
The report’s findings reveal a troubling reality: a sharp decline in seafood import checks has left the UK vulnerable to products linked to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, forced and bonded labour, and severe environmental harm. With only ten staff currently tasked with verifying catch certificates, the UK’s capacity to monitor imports has fallen dramatically compared to other nations.
The Roundtable was attended by parliamentarians including Barry Gardiner MP, Anna Gelderd MP, Pippa Heylings MP, Uma Kumaran MP, Alex Sobel MP, Chris Hinchliff MP, and Baroness Lyn Golding, alongside representatives from industry and civil society. Their engagement underscores growing concern in Westminster about the UK’s seafood traceability and the urgent need for stronger safeguards.
This launch marks an important milestone for CFT’s UK advocacy, reinforcing the need for systemic reforms to prevent illegally caught seafood from reaching consumers. We thank the APPG for the Ocean, APPG on International Conservation, and APPG on Sustainable Finance for sponsoring the event and look forward to working with policymakers to strengthen the UK’s seafood supply chain and protect both people and oceans.
📄 Read the full report: https://ejfoundation.org/resources/downloads/Criminal-catches-How-to-Stop-the-Supply-of-Illegal-Seafood-to-the-UK.pdf
