The primary objective of this toolkit is to provide exporters with the knowledge and resources necessary to navigate the landscape of seafood regulations and provide strategies and mechanisms for advocacy. Strong advocacy involves understanding existing regulations, identifying areas for improvement, and participating in ongoing dialogue with policymakers and other stakeholders. Key benefits of utilizing this toolkit include: 

• Mitigating risk and liability. By supporting robust seafood regulations, especially import control rules, exporters can reduce the risk of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) products entering their supply chains, protecting their businesses from potential legal and reputational harm. 
• Enhancing traceability and transparency. Adoption of electronic traceability systems, alignment with existing seafood traceability standards, and leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning can support improved supply chain transparency and facilitate regulatory compliance.  
• Promoting harmonization. Advocating for standardized data requirements across the major market states’ ICSs supports more efficient, streamlined data collection and reporting. 

Advocating for strong and harmonized ICSs is not only about regulatory compliance—it’s a strategic business decision for exporters. As more major markets implement or tighten ICSs, exporters that understand and support these systems are better positioned to maintain and expand market access by demonstrating a commitment to legality, sustainability, and ethical sourcing. Active engagement in advocacy activities with governments at the national and regional level around harmonizing ICSs helps ensure that rules are workable and aligned across markets, reducing duplicative requirements and streamlining compliance. Moreover, supporting traceability and transparency safeguards supply chain integrity, differentiates responsible exporters from less scrupulous competitors, and meets growing buyer and consumer demand for accountability. In a global seafood market increasingly shaped by legal and ethical standards, exporters who advocate for and adopt these practices gain a competitive advantage while contributing to a more resilient, equitable seafood trade system. 

The website version of the WWF Seafood Exporter Toolkit offers a high-level, easy-to-navigate overview of key topics—such as major import control schemes and advocacy strategies—organized into tabs for quick reference and supported by external links. In contrast, the PDF version, available under the tab “Deep Dive WWF Seafood Exporters Toolkit & Workshops,” is a comprehensive, in-depth resource designed for exporters, governments, and enforcement agencies. It includes detailed country profiles, practical compliance guides, and advocacy tools such as sample letters and policy engagement strategies. While the website is ideal for browsing and quick access, the PDF serves as a technical reference for deeper learning, strategic planning, and use during WWF’s deep dive workshops for exporting countries. 

Import control schemes (ICSs) are essential for exporters because they help protect businesses from the risks associated with illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced labor. By meeting the regulatory requirements of major markets like the EU, US, Japan, and Korea, exporters can maintain market access and avoid trade disruptions. ICSs also enhance traceability and transparency in the supply chain and when paired with verification can ensure that products are sourced legally and ethically. 

As key players in the seafood supply chain, exporters have a responsibility to provide accurate and complete documentation that proves the legality of their catch, supports traceability, and, in some cases, documents labor conditions. They should stay informed about the differing requirements across key markets, adopt traceability systems, and keep verifiable records to ensure compliance. By complying with ICSs, exporters not only support legal and sustainable practices but also build trust with buyers and regulators. 

Beyond meeting compliance standards, exporters can use their voice to advocate for more effective and well-enforced regulations. Engaging with policymakers and pushing for standardized data requirements can reduce administrative burdens and improve global supply chain efficiency. In doing so, exporters can help shape a more transparent, sustainable, and fair seafood trade system.  

There are three main ICSs that exporters should be aware of: the EU IUU Regulation and Catch Certificate Scheme, the US Seafood Import Monitoring Program, and the Japan Import Regulation. These three programs demonstrate the different approaches countries have taken in establishing ICSs and serve as a model for evaluating best practices for countries starting to develop new ICSs. More recently, Korea has emerged as a new participant in this landscape with its own ICS, reflecting a broader trend of increasing regulatory scrutiny. The following section provides an overview of each scheme, highlighting its core requirements and implications for exporters. 

Developing ICSs

The three largest market states—the EU, the US, and Japan—currently lead in designing and implementing unilateral import control schemes, while other countries such as Korea, Canada, the UK, and Australia are exploring or strengthening their own seafood traceability and import control systems. This reflects a global trend and growing commitment to enhanced seafood import rules that ensure product safety, legality, and traceability— supporting efforts to combat IUU fishing. As more countries adopt similar measures, the harmonization and standardization of import control schemes become increasingly important for streamlining data requirements and strengthening global enforcement. 

The following explores the practical tools and strategic opportunities available to exporters to support stronger, more harmonized import control schemes (ICSs). As global regulations evolve, there is increasing momentum around the integration of labor and human rights considerations into import controls. This, among other emerging trends such as deforestation regulations and climate change data collection, signals a shift in what companies need to prepare for to maintain market access

Exporters face the dual challenge of navigating complex documentation and ensuring full compliance across varied market requirements. Anticipating new compliance obligations can help exporters avoid costly disruptions, maintain access to key markets, and ultimately contribute to a more transparent, equitable seafood supply chain.

Strong, well-enforced ICSs are essential for protecting supply chain integrity, supporting honest producers, and ensuring consumer confidence in legal and sustainable seafood. In contrast, fragmented or weak systems allow illicit products to enter markets, creating unfair competition and reputational risks for responsible businesses. 

Harmonizing ICSs across major markets through standardizing documentation, data fields, and verification methods can help reduce inefficiencies, lower administrative costs, and ease compliance. As global demand for legality and sustainability grows, supporting robust and aligned ICSs will help your business remain efficient, adaptable, and competitive in evolving markets. 

Exporters face increasing costs and inefficiencies when each market enforces different import control requirements. By advocating for strong, harmonized ICSs — such as standardized documentation, aligned verification processes, and consistent data requirements—you can reduce compliance burdens, avoid delays, and build trust with buyers who demand legal and sustainable products. Supporting regulatory alignment is not just about integrity—it’s a competitive advantage in a growing global market for responsible sourcing. 

Electronic traceability improves supply chain visibility, reduces manual paperwork, and supports faster compliance verification. Exporters benefit from interoperable systems that can seamlessly share data between third–party traceability and government data collection platforms, especially as more markets mandate electronic documentation. Advocating for interoperability—between governments, supply chain actors, and market systems—can reduce duplicative data entry and enable real-time tracing. You can support this shift by adopting electronic traceability solutions, sharing lessons learned, and encouraging governments to invest in infrastructure and training. 

When exported products are rejected or delayed at port due to non-compliance or poor documentation, it disrupts business operations and can damage commercial relationships. Strengthening ICSs, improving education and access to authoritative resources on government programs, and clarifying compliance requirements can reduce the risk of operational delays and product losses. You can advocate for more effective government communication and outreach including translated materials, and user-friendly compliance guidance to support your business and improve industry market access. 

With labor-related compliance emerging as a condition for market access, exporters must understand and address risks of forced labor in their supply chains. By advocating for the collection of labor data through ICSs—such as crew lists, vessel trip details, and transshipment records—you can reduce the reputational risk of IUU fishing products within your supply chain and support a  more transparent and ethical marketplace.  

This toolkit is structured to guide exporters, governments, and enforcement agencies through the various aspects of seafood import control measures and areas for advocacy. It includes: 

Introduction. Critical context and background that explores why ICSs matter and how ICSs can combat IUU fishing and forced labor in seafood supply chains. 

Country Profiles. Detailed overviews of the main ICSs for the EU, US, Japan, and Korea, including a brief introduction to the program, key components, species or products covered, and information collected by each scheme. 

Additional Policies and Resources. Information on other import control policies, where to find additional resources, compliance guides, audit guides, and more.  

Advocacy. How to advocate for better, stronger import controls, including sample advocacy letters, statements, resources, and specific suggestions for exporters, governments, and enforcement agencies. 

To bring the toolkit into practice, WWF is hosting a series of workshops in key exporting countries. These workshops aimed to strengthen compliance, promote policy alignment, and build capacity across stakeholder groups through three core components: 

• Toolkit Introduction: Each workshop begins with a structured overview of the toolkit, including its objectives, structure, and core content areas. Key topics include traceability, documentation, best practices for compliance, and the critical need for harmonizing import control schemes across borders. 
• Interactive Feedback Sessions: Participants are invited to share their experiences, identify common challenges, and discuss gaps in understanding or implementation. These sessions are designed to gather actionable feedback, explore what tools or resources are needed to support compliance, and identify advocacy opportunities that can drive systemic improvement. 
• Advocacy and Policy Engagement: The workshops also include practical advocacy guidance, including real-world examples of effective exporter advocacy—what issues to raise, with whom, and how to engage constructively. Parallel sessions are also tailored for government and enforcement agency stakeholders, focusing on how they can enhance exporter capacity, better align national policies with international standards, and promote cross-border cooperation to support a more enabling compliance environment. 

The Seafood Exporter Toolkit and accompanying workshop series are designed to bridge the gap between policy and practice—empowering exporters, governments, and enforcement agencies with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to meet evolving import control requirements. By fostering greater understanding of ICSs and promoting collaboration across sectors, this project helps lay the foundation for more transparent, accountable, and sustainable seafood trade.