Since leaving the EU, the UK has drastically reduced checks on imported seafood.
A new report is calling on the UK government to take urgent action to stop illegal and unethical seafood from entering the country. According to the report, British consumers may unknowingly be purchasing seafood linked to illegal fishing practices, environmental harm, and serious human rights abuses, due, in part, to a sharp decline in import checks following Brexit.
The report and accompanying documentary, Criminal Catches: How to Stop the Supply of Illegal Seafood to the UK, were released by the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency, which includes the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) and Open Seas. These organisations advocate for sustainable fishing practices and responsible seafood sourcing.
Based on official UK data and years of investigative work by the EJF, the findings reveal disturbing connections between UK seafood imports and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, particularly from China’s distant-water fishing fleet. These vessels have been linked to both environmental violations and human rights abuses, including forced labour, human trafficking, and slavery.
Despite receiving approximately 1,000 catch certificates annually from China, equating to around 58,000 tonnes of seafood, the UK has only rejected four consignments from the country since 2012, “indicating these imports are not being properly screened,” the EJF states.
Since leaving the EU, the UK has drastically reduced checks on imported seafood, a move the report warns has left regulators “effectively blind” to the origins and conditions under which the seafood is caught. This regulatory gap increases the risk of products tied to human rights violations and ecosystem destruction ending up on British dinner plates.
In 2024, more than a quarter of UK seafood imports came from countries issued with a “yellow card” warning by the European Commission, meaning they are not adequately addressing IUU fishing practices.
Steve Trent, founder and CEO of the Environmental Justice Foundation, noted the UK’s crucial role in shaping global fishing standards. “Over 80% of the fish eaten in the UK is imported,” he said, “meaning the UK has the power, opportunity and responsibility to drive powerful change across the global fishing industry.
“By taking a more proactive approach, the UK can protect its market from illegally caught fish, uphold human rights at sea and safeguard marine ecosystems long into the future.”
The report calls for urgent government action and that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) receive adequate funding to restore lost monitoring and reporting capabilities, ensuring that seafood entering the UK meets both environmental and ethical standards.
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