RFMOs have their own procedures to identify vessels which do not comply with their rules and are therefore fishing illegally. The RFMOs communicate their lists to the European Commission at which point the EU list is updated. The lists submitted by the RFMOs this year has identified 66 vessels as fishing illegally, a reduction of 3 from last year. All vessels on the list will be unable to sell or land their fish in the EU.

The list adopted is complementary to the EUs own initiative enforcement which is currently focused, as a matter of priority, on assessing third countries' IUU regimes as highlighted by the yellow cards handed out in November 2012. 

The EU list of vessels engaged in IUU fishing