Traceability in the UK Seafood chain

Sarah Roberts, Charlotte R Hopkins, Alexander J Caveen, Neil M. Burns

Research output: Book/Report/Policy Brief/Technical BriefResearch report

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Abstract

Traceability in seafood supply chains is vital for ensuring food safety, proving legality and tackling illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, and verifying sustainability. UK seafood supply chains vary in complexity. As complexity across a supply chain increases, the importance of seafood transparency and traceability at each stage of the supply chain increases.

The project sought examples of different supply chains of seafood landed in the UK to examine the current levels of traceability across the supply chain, examples of best practice, challenges to traceability and improvements that could be recommended for implementation in UK seafood supply chains. Case studies were sought from three UK seafood supply chains: i) Case study A: (Demersal) Dover (common) sole landed into ports in South West England; ii) Case Study B: (Pelagic) Mackerel from vessels landing into Peterhead, Scotland; and iii) Case Study C: (Shellfish) Brown crab / lobster from vessels landing into Bridlington, England. An initial seafood supply chain mapping exercise was undertaken for each case study through stakeholder structured interviews followed by in-depth semi structured interviews with actors across the supply chain.

Key recommendations for improving traceability within the UK seafood supply chain include:
• Focus on improving traceability up to the point of first sale.
• Definitions of traceability need to more clearly stated to stakeholders.
• Digitalise and integrate information systems.
• Improve stakeholder engagement around data submission.
• Minimise duplication of catch reporting by MMOs and IFCAs
• Improvements to traceability systems are needed to allow for the distinction between sustainable versus non-sustainably caught seafood.
• Increase transparency in how data submissions are used to increase data accuracy
• Improve monitoring of wholesale markets.

It should be acknowledged that the current approaches to improving traceability in seafood supply chains are already implementing some of the recommendations highlighted in this report. The recommendations from this report should serve to strengthen areas of traceability work that are already ongoing and to provide further impetus for development of best practice across UK seafood supply chains.
Original languageEnglish
PublisherMarine Management Organisation
Number of pages109
Publication statusPrint publication - Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

When referencing this publication, please cite as:
MMO (2023). Traceability in the UK Seafood chain. A report produced for the Marine
Management Organisation, MMO Project No: MMO1329_2, March 2023, 109pp

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