From gray schemes to digital catch: the government launches eFishing system
9 September 2025 20:39
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the procedure for the functioning of the Unified State Electronic Fisheries Management System – eFisheries. This was reported bythe Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
This is a digital platform that should replace paper procedures in the industry and make it more transparent.
Key changes
- Speed: the permitting process will be reduced from 30 days to 2;
- Business savings: avoiding paperwork will reduce companies’ costs by UAH 150 million annually;
- De-shadowing: the budget will receive from UAH 15 to 150 million annually due to the legalization of procedures;
- Contribution to GDP: the economy can receive up to UAH 500 million additionally by bringing illegal fishing out of the shadows.
How it will work
Through the system, entrepreneurs will be able to:
- submit documents online;
- obtain permits and licenses electronically
- track the status of their applications without queues and bureaucracy.
This should minimize corruption risks and reduce the human factor.
Why it is important
Fisheries remains one of the most “shadowy” industries in Ukraine. According to experts, part of the catch has not been officially recorded for years, which reduces budget revenues and creates conditions for corruption.
The electronic system is designed to bring the process “out of the water and into the digital world” and introduce transparent control.
The idea of creating eFisheries has been discussed since 2020. At that time, business and NGOs emphasized that the lack of a modern electronic system hindered the development of the industry. In 2021, the government launched a pilot project, but the procedure was fully approved only in September 2025.
The launch of eFishing could be a key step in the digital transformation of the industry. The government promises speed and transparency, business expects savings, and the state expects additional revenues. The next challenge is to ensure that the system actually works and to control that the “digital fishing rod” does not turn into another bureaucratic network.
