SEAFDEC organizes Webinar on Japan’s Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS)

SEAFDEC in collaboration with the Fisheries Agency of Japan jointly convened the “Webinar on Japan’s Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) Under Act on Ensuring the Proper Domestic Distribution and Importation of Specified Aquatic Animals and Plants” on 26 July 2022 through Zoom platform. The Webinar was attended by resource persons from the Fisheries Agency of Japan, and representatives from the SEAFDEC Member Countries, namely: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as well as SEAFDEC Secretary-General and senior officers from the SEAFDEC Secretariat, TD, MFRD, and MFRDMD. The Webinar was held to provide information on the implementation of the Act which is scheduled to enter into force on 1 December 2022. During the Webinar, Japan explained and clarified the questions raised by the SEAFDEC Member Countries on implementation and requirements of the CDS of Japan. The Japan CDS would require catch certificates for the four species (i.e. squid and cuttlefish, pacific saury, mackerel, and sardine) imported to Japan which should be issued by the competent authority of flag State of the vessel to certify that they were caught legally.

The Japan CDS is among the actions of Japan to prevent IUU catches from entering the supply chain in the country. For more information, watch the presentation at  SEAFDEC YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uAwoNfWBSY).