Frequently Asked Questions


The Combined IUU List is a website maintained by TMT as a public service. It contains all fishing vessels currently or historically IUU listed by a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) or related organisation. It enables users to access IUU listing information from all RFMOs on a single site, and can contain more up to date vessel identity information (e.g. name, flag, callsign) than the RFMO IUU lists, some of which are only updated once per year.

Information on the Combined IUU Vessel List can be accessed in three ways – users can search for vessels using key identifiers, and view the full details of a vessel, including historic information and photos where available, on the site. Users can also download a spreadsheet containing the current information for all vessels (currently and previously IUU listed). Finally, users can sign up to receive email notifications when a new vessel is added to the Combined IUU list, when a vessel is delisted by its original listing RFMO, or when there is a change to the key identifiers of any currently listed vessel.

Information on the Combined IUU List is sourced from a variety of sources, including online vessel databases, national governments, photographic evidence, field reports and other sources.

TMT makes every effort to ensure that information contained on the Combined IUU List is correct and up to date. The decision on whether to include information is based on the reliability of the source, and verification against other information sources, including photos and documents where possible. However, while TMT strives to ensure that all information on the site is correct, this cannot be guaranteed. If a user believes that any information contained on this site is incorrect, or has additional/updated information to share, please contact TMT so that the site can be updated.

The majority of RFMOs add or remove vessels from their IUU Lists once or twice per year, at Commission meetings or other specified dates. TMT monitors output from meetings and RFMO IUU Lists online to ensure that the correct vessels are reflected on the Combined IUU List as lists are updated.

Vessel details, such as name, flag, callsign and owner, are updated on the site throughout the year, as new information is identified. Key information sources are monitored on a weekly basis to ensure that changes to vessel name, flag and other information are reflected on the site as soon as possible.

When a vessel is removed from an RFMO IUU List – often because it has changed ownership, sunk or been scrapped – it is retained on the Combined IUU List. Vessel information continues to be updated, but the vessel is clearly marked as DELISTED. This means that the Combined IUU List provides a full historic record of IUU listing of vessels by RFMOs, which has value for authorities, academics and others researching the use of RFMO IUU Lists. Filters and indicators are provided on the site and the download, to enable users to clearly distinguish between currently and formerly IUU listed vessels.

RFMOs vary in the amount of information they make publicly available regarding IUU listed vessels. Some RFMOs publish detailed vessel profiles, or make available documents related to the vessel’s listing. Other RFMOs have a single IUU list page, which provides only basic information on each vessel. Where more detailed information is available, TMT aims to provide a link to that information. Where it is not available, TMT provides a link to the RFMO IUU list homepage. Some RFMOs make historic IUU lists available online – where this is the case, TMT provides the link to the relevant year’s list for vessels that are no longer IUU listed.

Thank you for alerting TMT. If you think any information on the Combined IUU list is incorrect or out of date, please let us know at info@tm-tracking.org or through the contact form. The users of the Combined IUU List are a valuable source of information and TMT appreciates your support to keep the site accurate.

No. The Combined IUU List contains vessels that are currently or have in the past been IUU listed by an RFMO. This represents only a small proportion of the vessels that engage in IUU fishing globally. Reasons why an IUU vessel might not be included on an RFMO IUU list include: the vessel was convicted of IUU fishing and was sanctioned, to the satisfaction of the State concerned; the vessel was engaged in a fishery not included in the remit of any RFMO; the vessel was proposed for listing in an RFMO that makes listing decisions on the basis of consensus, and members did not achieve consensus to list the vessel; the IUU fishing was not detected, or could not be proven to the satisfaction of the relevant authorities. TMT is monitoring compliance histories of fishing vessels that are not IUU listed, which are recorded in our broader fisheries analytical system FACT. These are not made publicly available, but TMT can be contacted at info@tm-tracking.org with a request for information. Please note however that there may be limits on what information can be shared.