The European Commission is to blacklist countries and vessels suspected of illegal fishing and stop them from selling their catches in Europe.
Illegal or 'pirate' fishing on the world's oceans is estimated to yield catches of around €10bn a year of which about €1bn is imported into and sold on the EU market.
Much of the illegal catches are making up for a shortfall in catches caused by the EU Commission's own cutbacks on fishing quotas for its own fleets.
There has been intense pressure on the Commission from the fishing industry, claiming this is unfair competition.
In future, non-EU boats will only be allowed into designated ports and their catches will have to be certified.
The World Wildlife Fund has welcomed the decision as in important step towards control illegal fishing on the world's oceans.
