Kochi, July 20 - A proposed European Union (EU) guideline - requiring imported seafood to be accompanied by a 'catch certificate' issued by a competent authority - is worrisome, say India's seafood exporters.

The certificate will state the area from where the catch shipped to the EU was made, the method of fishing adopted, the trawler used and all processing details.

The new EU guideline, aimed at preventing, deterring and eliminating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities, comes into effect from Jan 1, 2010. Indian seafood exporters were informed of this last October.

Currently shipments to the EU require only a health certificate and the results of a test showing products are free of banned ingredients.

The existing system, say exporters, is simpler than what's in store. Moreover, they fear, the official mechanism to issue catch certificates may not be put in place in time.

'We have got in touch with exporters in Thailand and Vietnam who also want more time to implement the new guideline. Their exports are more than ours,' said Seafood Exporters Association of India president Anwar Hashim.

'We are now planning to get in with the Chinese to see if they also want more time to meet this new guideline,' Hashim told IANS.

EU is the largest market for India's seafood products, accounting for nearly 25 percent of its exports (about 152,000 tonnes), valued at Rs.2,800 crore (Rs.28 billion/$574.5 million) last fiscal.

'The agriculture and commerce ministries have taken up the issue and we have to comply with the guideline.