Food and beverage
What CATCH in TRACES is and who it applies to since 2026
Since 10 January 2026 the catch certificate is processed in CATCH. What changed and for whom.
CATCH is the part of TRACES NT where catch certificates and their accompanying documents are processed. Since 10 January 2026 its use has been mandatory for European Union operators, and a new template applies from that same date. Paper and electronic used to coexist; now paper enters through one specific door, and that door is what generates most of the confusion.
The rules behind it
| Rule | What it establishes | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation (EC) 1005/2008 | The catch certification scheme against IUU fishing | 2010 |
| Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 | Amends it and brings electronic processing | — |
| CATCH mandatory | EU operators process within the system | 10-01-2026 |
Important
«Mandatory» does not mean paper disappears: it means paper enters the system. A certificate validated by the flag State before 10 January 2026 still exists, and CATCH has a specific option for it. What no longer works is processing outside the system.
Who does what, which orders everything else
| Role | Who that usually is | What they do in CATCH |
|---|---|---|
| Non-EU exporter | The supplier at origin | Originates the electronic certificate |
| Flag authority | The vessel country's administration | Validates it |
| EU operator | You, if you import | Transcribes paper or reuses the electronic one |
| Processor | Whoever processes the product | Adds the Processing Statement |
Watch out
The sector's most expensive misconception is that the importer «fills in the certificate». They do not: they either reuse the one the exporter originated, or transcribe a paper one — and that transcription opens a different flow, with its own serial number and its own responsibility. Starting on the wrong flow means redoing it entirely.
What decides whether this costs you a lot or a little
- 1
Know which of the four roles you hold
It is not obvious when buying from a trader who in turn buys from a vessel owner.
- 2
Check whether the certificate predates 10 January 2026
It decides which option to pick when creating it, and it cannot be changed later.
- 3
Gather the origin data before entering the system
Vessel, area, dates and weights come from third parties; TRACES does not wait.
- 4
And know whether a Processing Statement will also be needed
If the product is processed, the certificate is only half of it.
Worth knowing
Procedure verified in 2026-08 against the European Commission's official help (https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/IMSOC/tracesnt-help), CATCH section. TRACES is operated by the Commission and may change without notice: if you are processing a consignment, check against that same source. And one distinction worth keeping clear — this describes how the system works; whether it applies to you, with what scope and what happens if you do not comply is for the competent authority and your adviser to determine.
›Does this apply if I only buy from a Spanish supplier?
It depends on the product's origin, not your supplier. The competent authority determines that.
›I hold paper certificates from before 2026 — are they valid?
The system has a specific option for those validated by the flag State before 10 January 2026.
›Who creates the certificate, the exporter or me?
The non-EU exporter originates it. The EU operator reuses it or transcribes a paper one.
A real case
The situation
Nobody knows whether the company is exporter, importer or processor in CATCH.
What you do
- Records each party's role in the file
What you get
You enter the right flow first time.
The situation
A 2025 paper certificate arrives and nobody knows which option to pick.
What you do
- Keeps the validation date with the document
What you get
The system option is chosen with the fact in hand.
The situation
The product gets processed and nobody planned for the Processing Statement.
What you do
- Records whether the consignment will be processed at intake
What you get
The second document is not a surprise.
The situation
Origin data sits with the vessel owner and arrives late.
What you do
- Requests the data from the supplier before shipment
What you get
The formality starts with everything to hand.
This article answers
- what is eu catch
- catch traces system fisheries
- iuu regulation 1005 2008
- catch mandatory 2026 importers
- digital catch certificate mandatory