A new report released by the Blue Marine Foundation and global investigations firm Kroll reveals that European companies have taken a third of the tropical tuna catch in the Indian Ocean. As European-owned fleets have caught a third of all tropical tuna in the Indian Ocean over the last decade, companies based in the bloc have frequently reflagged their vessels to circumvent EU commitments to cut back on overfishing practices. EU companies are the beneficial owners—meaning they reap financial benefits even if they don't appear as the registered owner—of more than 50 massive fishing vessels known as purse seiners operating in the Indian Ocean.
The investigation found that vessels have been registered under the flags of the Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, and Oman to gain access to greater catch limits. This occurs as the EU has set a goal to cut back on the yellowfin tuna catch for European-flagged vessels by 21%, to allow dwindling populations in the Indian Ocean time to recover from years of overfishing. While common in the fishing industry and not illegal, reflagging a vessel to a foreign country makes it difficult for observers and regulators to gauge the impact of European companies on the fishery.
Parent company ownership is often obscured via layers of shell companies and foreign registries, which Rattle and the team at Kroll tracked down over the course of months. Maciej Berestecki, a spokesperson for the European Commission, stated that the reflagging of fishing vessels is a private business decision not influenced by public authorities, and that the EU does not defend or represent the interests of vessels flagged to other countries. Glen Holmes, senior officer with Pew Charitable Trusts, said those new limits may be pushing European fishing companies to look to other countries' quotas to maintain their catch. The findings come ahead of an annual meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission in the Maldives, which brings together the EU and 28 countries with a stake in the tuna fishery.
A January 2026 report by environmental group Oceana found European companies routinely register fishing vessels under the flags of foreign nations, including some countries the EU has accused of turning a blind eye to illegal fishing activities. Holmes and colleagues from Pew, Global Fishing Watch, and other environmental groups are advocating for greater ownership transparency among fishing fleets in the Indian Ocean. As demand for transparency in food supply chains increases, establishing beneficial ownership registries in the fishing industry has become a critical agenda item.
Note: This summary draws on SupplyChainBrain's publicly visible headline + subhead + opening paragraph and on sector background on seafood supply chain transparency.
Key Takeaways:
1. Blue Marine Foundation and Kroll report reveals EU companies took a third of Indian Ocean tropical tuna catch over the last decade
2. European firms register 50+ purse seiner vessels under Seychelles, Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, and Oman flags to access higher quotas
3. Despite EU's 21% yellowfin tuna reduction goal for EU-flagged vessels, total European-owned catch continues to increase
4. Beneficial ownership is obscured through shell companies and foreign registries, complicating regulatory oversight
5. Environmental groups and Pew Charitable Trusts campaign for greater ownership transparency in Indian Ocean fishing fleets
