The Secretary General of Fisheries, Isabel Artime, presented this Thursday to some twenty organizations linked to the foreign trade of fishery products the new proposals that Spain plans to submit to the European Commission to improve the functioning of IT Catch, the renewed system for controlling and managing exports and imports, following the technical and bureaucratic incidents detected among operators since its launch on January 10.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the meeting was held by videoconference to review how this digital tool is being implemented and to go over its first months of use in processing catch certificates and in the exchange of data related to international trade in fishery products.
During the session, Artime specified that the initiatives being proposed aim to "facilitate the use of the new system by operators and competent authorities," advocating for greater automation of procedures, increased involvement of third countries in the platform, reinforcement of technical assistance services, and the development of harmonized guides to allow for uniform application throughout the European Union.
The head of Fisheries also presented the preparatory measures promoted by her department to accompany this transition, including the drafting of technical documentation, the organization of training sessions, the establishment of specific support channels, and the monitoring of registered incidents.
Likewise, the Secretary General highlighted the efforts already undertaken by Spain, as well as coordinated actions with other Member States, to convey to the Community institutions "the need to continue advancing in measures of simplification, interoperability, and functional improvement."
Artime also insisted on the ministry's commitment to maintaining "permanent dialogue" with the fishing sector and carrying out "continuous monitoring" of both the system's evolution and future modifications that may be incorporated.
This tool is part of the digitalization process of European control systems provided for in the Community legislation against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, with the aim of strengthening the traceability of fishery products, optimizing the exchange of information between competent authorities and moving towards a "more homogeneous" application of controls across all Member States.