A Catch Certificate (CC) is a document that certifies that the fishery products being imported into the European Union (EU) were caught in a legal, regulated, and sustainable manner. The Catch Certificate is required under EU law and must be presented to customs authorities when the products are imported into the EU.

The CC is typically issued by the competent authorities of the flag state of the fishing vessel or by the competent authorities of the exporting country. The certificate contains detailed information about the fishing vessel, the fishing gear used, the species of fish caught, and the quantity of fish caught.

The purpose of the CC is to help combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and to ensure that imported fishery products meet the high standards of sustainability and traceability set by the EU. The CC is just one component of the EU’s broader efforts to promote sustainable fishing practices and protect marine ecosystems.

In Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine is responsible for enforcing the EU’s catch certification requirements. Importers of fishery products into Ireland must ensure that they obtain a valid CC for each shipment of fishery products that they import into the EU. Failure to do so can result in fines and other penalties.

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