Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has requested all fishing boat operators and seafood exporters to oblige in implementing the catch certificate validation scheme which comes into effect from January 1, 2010.

The government had newly authorised MPEDA to validate the catch certificate. The European Commission has brought in a innovative rule, which insists on validated catch certificate or certificate for consignments of fish, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, etc exported to EU. This requirement is essential for all consignments made out of catches from the sea, landed on or after January 1, 2010.

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and regional fisheries management organizations like the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission want the member countries to avoid illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing for healthy growth of the fisheries sector. The new EU rule on catch certificate is as per this requirement.

This regulation is valid to consignments exported directly or through third countries. All main seafood exporting countries have determined to implement the scheme and have accordingly informed the EU, a statement issued by MPEDA said.

The catch certificate arranged by the industry has to be validated and countersigned by a government authority. The regulation also requires the exporting countries to observe definite percentage of the cases in detail.

Every year, India exports Rs 2,800 crore worth of seafood to EU, which is one-third of the country’s seafood exports. The government has determined to implement the catch certification scheme and has authorised MPEDA to authorize the catch certificate and to monitor it.

MPEDA has already made provision to monitor catch supply (for export to EU) by boats to exporters directly and through agents and to validate the catch certificates. To start with, MPEDA has decided to supply log sheets to boats to specify supply of catch to exporters.

A computer system has also been put into operation for catch data entry, quick validation of catch certificates, etc.

It has requested boat operators to submit the log sheet with applicable details to data entry operator or at the nearest fishing harbour within 72 hours of unloading the catch.