Source: World Wildlife Fund
Today, Japan passed a new law which is designed to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) sourced seafood from entering the Japanese market. The law brings Japan into alignment with the United States and the European Union which both established similar controls to help protect their markets from imported IUU seafood.
In response to Japan’s announcement, WWF issued the following statement from Michele Kuruc, vice president, ocean policy:
“This is a big step forward for legal fisheries and legal trade because Japan is the third major market to join others, including the US, in actively eliminating the bad actors who are pillaging the world’s fish stocks. If illegal fish are no longer able to make it to market, the activities that support this harmful trade will no longer be profitable. That benefits communities of legal fishers dependent on fish resources for food and job security, and the consumers who want to buy legal products and support law abiding operators.
“As the US transitions to a new administration, it is critical that we take strong steps so we can fully engage with important trade partners, like Japan and the EU. The US can be a model for others still considering what they can do to effectively fight IUU, as it will take everyone coming together to tackle this problem.”
Editor’s Note:
In addition, the Anti-IUU Forum Japan (WWF-Japan, Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd., Sailors for the Sea Japan, The Nature Conservancy, EDF Japan and GR Japan K.K.) have welcomed the enactment of the new law – the Improvement of Domestic Trade of Specific Marine Animals and Plants Act – and released a joint statement proposing key actions that should take place before its implementation.
