The European Commission has identified the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as a non-cooperating country in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and given it a so-called “red card” whereby all of its wild-caught fish is now banned from the EU market.

European Commission

European Commission

The Commission has identified the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago as a non-cooperating country in the fight against IUU fishing, giving it a “red card”

Brussels’ decision – announced on 25 September 2023 – is based on the EU’s IUU Regulation, which provides for a cooperation framework with countries to address IUU fishing and ensures that only legally-caught fisheries products can access the bloc.

“The Commission is strongly committed to sustainable fisheries and efficient ocean governance. We have zero tolerance for IUU fishing and today the Commission has taken firm action by giving Trinidad and Tobago a red card. However, we remain ready to continue our dialogue with Trinidad and Tobago to address the threats that IUU fishing poses to the sustainability of fish stocks, coastal communities, food security and the livelihoods of fishers who abide by the rules,” commented EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius.

According to the Commission, the listing of Trinidad and Tobago follows a lack of progress in addressing the serious shortcomings outlined in the pre-identification of the country as “non-cooperating”, adopted in April 2016.

Despite the support of the EU to Trinidad and Tobago under the IUU dialogue, both in relation to the revision of the legal framework and in monitoring, control and surveillance, the country did not make sufficient progress to satisfy the requirements under the IUU legislation, the Commission advised.

Notably, Trinidad and Tobago did not enact an adequate legal framework regulating the activities of the national fishing fleet in and beyond waters under national jurisdiction nor the activities of third countries’ fishing vessels in national ports.

Other persistent shortcomings relate to the lack of adequate control over the national fishing fleet and the foreign fishing fleets calling to port in the country as well as the lack of necessary measures for the cessation and prevention of IUU fishing activities.

The Commission said it will continue its dialogue with Trinidad and Tobago authorities to help the country address the identified shortcomings.

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