Importing Fresh Tuna into the EU: A Wholesale Buyer's Guide

Yellowfin or bigeye: which tuna fits your channel?

The two main species for fresh tuna from the Indian Ocean are yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye (Thunnus obesus). Both work as loins, saku and steaks, but they suit different customers.

Many buyers run yellowfin as the core line and add bigeye for customers who serve tuna raw. For a deeper comparison, see yellowfin vs bigeye tuna.

Formats and how to specify them

A clear written specification is what makes the tenth delivery look like the first. Before you order, agree the following with your supplier:

• Species, with the scientific name.
• Format: whole (gilled and gutted), headed and gutted, loins, saku blocks, or steaks and portions.
• Grade: raw-serve (often called sashimi grade) or cooking grade, judged on colour, fat and texture.
• Size: loin weight band or whole-fish weight range.
• Trim: skin on or off, bloodline on or removed.
• Packing: vacuum-packed or not, carton weight, ice or gel packs.
• Labelling: language and fields required in your country.
• Delivery rhythm and the minimum shelf life remaining on arrival at your door.

Our chilled tuna supply page for Europe lists the formats we work with.

Quality checks on arrival

EU hygiene rules require fresh fishery products to be kept at a temperature approaching that of melting ice. In practice, receiving teams probe the core temperature and log it: 0–2 °C is the working target. Alongside temperature, check:

• Colour: bright, natural and even, with no browning at the edges.
• Texture: firm, with no gaping or bruising.
• Smell: clean and fresh, never sour or metallic.
• Packaging intact, with labels that match the shipping documents.

Tuna is a scombroid species, so histamine is the key food-safety parameter. Under Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005, nine units are tested: no unit may reach 200 mg/kg, and no more than two may fall between 100 and 200 mg/kg. Histamine forms when fish gets warm, so it is a cold-chain problem first and a lab result second.

Import documents: what every consignment needs

Tuna caught and processed outside the EU enters as a third-country import, whether it flies in direct from origin or is routed via the UK. Four controls apply:

• Approved origin and plant: the exporting country must be listed for fishery products and the processing plant must appear on the EU list of approved establishments. Check the plant before your first order.
• EU health certificate, signed by the competent authority in the exporting country.
• CHED-P (Common Health Entry Document for products), pre-notified in TRACES NT, with veterinary checks at the Border Control Post where the fish first enters the EU.
• IUU catch certificate under Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008, validated by the flag state. Since 10 January 2026, EU importers must submit catch certificates and related documents through the Commission's CATCH system.

The importer carries legal responsibility for the CATCH submission, even when a forwarder or customs agent prepares the paperwork. Agree who prepares what before the first shipment and build border checks into your lead time. Customs duty depends on origin, tariff line and any preferential arrangement, so confirm it with your customs broker.

Labelling fresh tuna for sale in the EU

Under Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013, fresh tuna sold to consumers must show the commercial name and scientific name, the production method ("caught"), the catch area and the fishing gear category. Indian Ocean tuna is usually labelled FAO 51 (Western Indian Ocean) or FAO 57 (Eastern Indian Ocean), depending on where it was caught.

Each member state publishes its own list of official commercial names, and labels must be in a language consumers in that country understand, which in practice means the national language. "Sashimi grade" is not a legal term in EU law; if you use it, make sure it reflects a quality standard agreed with your supplier.

Notes for buyers in Ireland and Central Europe

• Ireland: ask your customs broker which Border Control Post your shipment will enter through and confirm it can handle chilled fishery products before booking freight.
• Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia: chilled fish may enter the EU in another member state and travel on by road under temperature control. Border checks and the catch certificate are handled where the fish first enters the EU.
• Onward trucking uses up shelf life, so set the minimum remaining days at your door, not at the airport.
• Retail labels must be in a language consumers in your country understand, normally the national language.

Setting up a supply programme

Fresh tuna works best as a programme rather than spot buying. A typical start looks like this:

1. Share your specification, destination country and estimated weekly volumes.
2. Agree the route, arrival airport, Border Control Post and who prepares each document.
3. Run a trial shipment and review temperature, yield and quality on arrival.
4. Fix a delivery rhythm and review the specification each season.

See the European seafood supply page for the markets we serve.

Frequently Asked Questions