Certain rules apply when exporting fish and fishery products.

Icelandic exporters should bear the following in mind: 

• A catch certificate issued by the Directorate of Fisheries must accompany fisheries products in order to gain access to markets in the European Union, the United States and Japan. Many other countries also require such certificates.

• If the catch of foreign fishing vessels is landed or imported in Iceland, and subsequently processed there for export to the European Union, it must be accompanied by a processing certificate issued by the Directorate of Fisheries

• When exporting unprocessed fish, the exporter must account for the sale abroad by submitting a report (VOR report) to the Directorate of Fisheries. This applies both to catches landed directly from a fishing vessel to a container (where the vessel operator must submit the report) and catches purchased directly from the vessel or at market and then exported unprocessed (where the buyer of the catch/exporter must submit the VOR report).

• Exports and imports of endangered marine species must be accompanied by a CITES certificate issued by the Directorate of Fisheries.