Ban on illegally caught fish
Fish consumption without a guilty conscience: From March 1, 2017, only fish that can be proven to have been fished legally may be imported into Switzerland.
In the future, only marine fishery products whose legal origin is guaranteed may be imported into Switzerland. On March 1, 2017, a new regulation will come into force that is intended to contribute to the sustainable use of global fish stocks.
Affected by the regulation on the control of the lawful origin of imported marine fishery products are Pacific and Atlantic salmon, herring, tuna, cod, flatfish and other marine fishery products in fresh, chilled, frozen, salted, minced, dried, smoked or live condition.
Their catch must comply with the national and international legal provisions in force in the exporting countries, as well as with the conservation measures and catch quotas. In the European Union, the import of products from illegal, unreported or unregulated (IUU) fishing has been prohibited since 2010.
Controls for fishery products
To ensure that the marine fishery products are indeed of legal origin, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) will carry out controls. Deliveries from countries with recognized official monitoring of fisheries can continue to be imported free of inspection and fees. All countries exporting fishery products can submit an application to the FSVO at any time to be recognized as a state with official monitoring by the authorities.
Preserve resources
These measures are intended to contribute to the sustainable conservation of fishery resources. Today, several fish species are threatened by overfishing, which can lead to a collapse of stocks. By eliminating trade in illegal fishery products, importing countries can make a significant contribution to the protection of fish stocks.
