This document explores ways in which individual countries in seafood supply chains can, in their capacities as coastal, flag, port, processing or end-market states, contribute to maximizing the effectiveness of catch documentation schemes.
The focus is on the traceability of seafood consignments, but the authors also explore other important compliance mechanisms that lie beyond traceability and that support the effective implementation of catch documentation schemes at the country level.
The document explains which traceability mechanisms are built into catch documentation schemes, and which additional support mechanisms must be provided
by individual countries along seafood supply chains. The study finds that traditional fisheries monitoring, inspection and sanctioning mechanisms are of primary importance with regard to flag, coastal and end-market
states, whereas effective country-level traceability mechanisms are of particular importance in port and processing states.