Seafood Import Restrictions
All shrimp, curvina, sierra, and chano fish and fish products imported under certain harmonized tariff schedule codes from Mexico as the country of origin, must be accompanied on arrival to the United States by a certification of admissibility certifying that they either did not originate from Upper Gulf of California gillnet fisheries, or if from the Upper Gulf, were not caught using gillnets within the vaquita’s range.
In response to a preliminary injunction order from the Court of International Trade, NOAA Fisheries has issued a notice announcing import restrictions on fish and fish products from Mexico caught with gillnets deployed in the range of the vaquita - a species of porpoise endemic to the northern Gulf of California waters in Mexico.
Effective immediately, all shrimp, curvina, sierra, and chano fish and fish products imported under certain harmonized tariff schedule codes from Mexico as the country of origin, must be accompanied on arrival to the United States by a certification of admissibility certifying that they either did not originate from Upper Gulf of California gillnet fisheries, or if from the Upper Gulf, were not caught using gillnets within the vaquita's range. This form requires the signature of an appropriate Mexican Government official.
NOAA Fisheries, in cooperation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is working to ensure affected seafood exporters and importers are aware of these restrictions, and to provide support for the trade community in their efforts to comply with this directive.
The United States and the Government of Mexico continue to work together to improve Mexico's regulatory program with the goal of eliminating gillnets from the Upper Gulf of California, strengthening regional enforcement, and accelerating the development of "vaquita-safe" fishing.
More Information
- HTS Codes Prohibited Entry into the United States from Mexico Unless Accompanied by a U.S. Importer of Record Certification
- Certification of Admissibility, and Instructions for Certification of Admissibility Form
- Officials Designated by the Government of Mexico to Validate the U.S. Certification of Admissibility
- Federal Register Notice: Implementation of Import Restrictions; Certification of Admissibility for Certain Fish Products from Mexico
- Marine Mammal Import Provisions Rule
- About the Vaquita
- US Customs and Border Protection
- Nation Identifications Under the Moratorium Protection Act