Professional Diploma in Fisheries and Seafood Transport Regulation
This professional diploma gives you a comprehensive understanding of the legal framework that governs fishing and the transport of seafood products. You will study national and international rules, from the sustainable management of fish stocks to the requirements for maritime and land transport, and you will learn the safety, environmental, food-safety and inspection requirements needed to ensure compliance from catch to final delivery.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this programme gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The programme is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Fisheries and Seafood Transport Regulation?
This professional diploma prepares you to manage regulatory compliance across the whole seafood chain. You will learn how fisheries law, the role of FAO, IMO and regional fisheries organisations and the responsibilities of shipowners, skippers, carriers and traders fit together, how licences, quotas, closed seasons, gear rules and catch declarations are managed, how illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is detected through VMS, AIS, port inspections and sanctions, and how refrigerated transport, HACCP, traceability, labelling, customs procedures, catch certificates and internal compliance programmes keep products legal, safe and marketable.
What sets this professional diploma apart: an end-to-end view of compliance from capture to final delivery; in-depth coverage of fisheries management, licences and quotas; a practical approach to inspection, control and the fight against IUU fishing; full treatment of cold chain transport, food safety and traceability; an international perspective on customs, market access and sustainability certification; and a final project in which you build the regulatory map and procedures for a real seafood business.
Programme highlights
- End-to-end compliance: from capture and landing to transport and sale.
- Fisheries management: licences, quotas, closed seasons and fishing effort.
- Control and inspection: VMS, AIS, port controls and sanctions against IUU fishing.
- Cold chain and food safety: refrigerated transport, HACCP and traceability.
- International trade: customs, catch certificates and market access.
- Final project: the regulatory map and procedures for a real seafood business.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Fisheries and Seafood Transport Regulation
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Legal foundations of fisheries, transport and maritime governance
- 1.1. Key concepts of fisheries and seafood transport regulation
- 1.2. Commercial, artisanal, industrial and recreational fishing, aquaculture and related transport
- 1.3. Sustainability, traceability, food safety and responsible trade
- 1.4. Fisheries, maritime, port, customs, health and environmental authorities
- 1.5. National rules, regional agreements and international conventions
- 1.6. Responsibilities of shipowners, skippers, fishers, carriers and traders
- 1.7. An integrated view of compliance from catch to delivery
- 1.8. International bodies: FAO, IMO and regional fisheries organisations
Fisheries management, licences, quotas and fishing effort
- 2.1. Licences, permits, authorisations and registers
- 2.2. Catch quotas, minimum sizes, closed seasons, fishing zones and effort limits
- 2.3. Rules on gear, methods and destructive practices
- 2.4. Protected species, by-catch and discards
- 2.5. Stock monitoring and science-based decisions
- 2.6. Catch declarations, logbooks and landings
- 2.7. Designing sustainable and compliant management systems
- 2.8. Recovery plans and technical conservation measures
Illegal fishing, control, inspection and sanctions
- 3.1. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and its effects
- 3.2. Surveillance through AIS, VMS, observers, port inspections and satellite monitoring
- 3.3. Inspection of vessels, gear, holds, catches and documents
- 3.4. Controls at port, landing, first sale, storage and transport
- 3.5. Administrative and criminal offences
- 3.6. Precautionary measures, seizures, detentions, licence suspensions and fines
- 3.7. Designing control programmes
- 3.8. Vessel monitoring systems and electronic logbooks
Maritime and land transport of seafood products
- 4.1. Requirements for sea, road, air and multimodal transport of fish and shellfish
- 4.2. Handling, loading, unloading, stowage and packaging
- 4.3. Refrigerated and frozen transport, temperature control and records
- 4.4. Requirements for vehicles, containers, holds and cold stores
- 4.5. Live, fresh, frozen, processed and high-risk products
- 4.6. Contractual and operational responsibilities of carriers, shippers and consignees
- 4.7. Designing compliant transport procedures
- 4.8. Refrigerated transport and cold chain regulations
Food safety, health, traceability and certification of seafood
- 5.1. Hygiene and food safety from catch to sale
- 5.2. HACCP, good handling practices and hazard control
- 5.3. Traceability from vessel or farm to market
- 5.4. Health certificates, catch documents and temperature records
- 5.5. Veterinary and border controls for imports and exports
- 5.6. Labelling, commercial names, catch area and production method
- 5.7. Document systems that prove legality, safety and authenticity
- 5.8. Sustainability labelling and certification: MSC and others
International trade, customs and access to seafood markets
- 6.1. Foundations of international seafood trade and trade agreements
- 6.2. Customs procedures for import, export, transit, warehousing and re-export
- 6.3. Tariff classification, customs valuation and preferential origin
- 6.4. Sanitary, environmental and trade restrictions on regulated species
- 6.5. Sustainability, responsible fishing and chain-of-custody certification
- 6.6. Risks of rejection, detention, destruction or penalties
- 6.7. Export strategies combining compliance, traceability and competitiveness
- 6.8. Catch certificates and IUU controls on imports
Business management, compliance, sustainability and regulatory digitalisation
- 7.1. Internal compliance programmes for fishing, shipping, trading and transport companies
- 7.2. Legal, health, environmental, logistical and reputational risk management
- 7.3. Internal audits, document review and supplier control
- 7.4. Digitalisation of licences, logbooks, certificates, permits and transport records
- 7.5. Electronic platforms, sensors, blockchain and tracking systems
- 7.6. Sustainability, discard reduction, energy efficiency and circular economy
- 7.7. Management models balancing compliance, profitability and market access
- 7.8. Regulatory compliance audits in fishing companies
Applied final project in fisheries and transport regulation
- 8.1. Defining the case study
- 8.2. Diagnosis of licences, quotas, catches, traceability, transport and health requirements
- 8.3. Regulatory map of authorities, permits, documents, controls and responsibilities
- 8.4. Compliant procedure for catch, landing, storage, transport and sale
- 8.5. Traceability, cold chain control, auditing and incident management
- 8.6. Technical report with legal, operational, logistical, health, environmental and economic analysis
- 8.7. Final assessment and proposals for regulatory improvement
- 8.8. Presentation and defence of the final project
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Fisheries and Seafood Transport Regulation
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the instalment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programmes.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Fisheries and Seafood Transport Regulation
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Fisheries and Seafood Transport Regulation
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Fisheries and Seafood Transport Regulation
Fishing and the transport of seafood products, from capture and landing through storage, transport, customs and sale.
Both. You study international frameworks such as those of FAO, IMO and regional fisheries organisations and how they relate to national rules and administrative competences.
Yes. A full module deals with IUU fishing, surveillance systems, inspection procedures and sanctions.
No. The programme teaches the subject, but inspector posts are filled through the procedures set by the competent authorities.
Yes. A related degree or experience in fishing, transport or seafood trade is enough; the admission interview confirms your fit.
You build the regulatory map, procedures and traceability system for a real fishing company, vessel, cooperative, carrier or exporter.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of about 100 hours each and ends with an applied final project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enrol.
More programmes in Law and regulation
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enrol in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at fishing sector professionals updating their knowledge of current regulations, maritime transport entrepreneurs who want to ensure compliance when moving seafood, public officials and regulators who enforce fisheries and transport law, legal consultants and advisers specialising in the sector, and graduates in related fields. A degree in law, marine biology, environmental sciences, fisheries engineering or a related field, or experience in fishing or transport, is recommended.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrolmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enrol
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.