Seafood Import Monitoring Program
This program establishes reporting and recordkeeping requirements for imports of certain seafood products to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated seafood from entering the U.S. market.
The Seafood Import Monitoring Program—also known as SIMP—establishes reporting and recordkeeping requirements for imports of certain seafood products to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated and/or misrepresented seafood from entering U.S. commerce.
SIMP provides additional protections for our national economy, global food security, and the sustainability of our shared ocean resources. It is the first phase of a risk-based traceability program that requires the importer of record to provide and report key data—from the point of harvest to the point of entry into U.S. commerce—on an initial list of imported fish and fish products identified as particularly vulnerable to IUU fishing and/or seafood fraud.
Affected 'Priority Species'
| Abalone* | Pacific Cod | Tunas: Albacore, Bigeye, Skipjack, Yellowfin, and Bluefin |
| Atlantic Cod | Red Snapper | |
| Blue Crab (Atlantic) | Sea Cucumber | |
| Dolphinfish (Mahi Mahi) | Sharks | |
| Grouper | Shrimp* | |
| King Crab (red) | Swordfish |
*Implementation of SIMP requirements for abalone and shrimp is delayed until further notice.
January 1, 2018, is the mandatory compliance date for most of the priority species listed in the rule, with shrimp and abalone compliance phased in at a later date that will be announced upon its determination.
Resource Materials
We provide a variety of resource materials, including webinars, fact sheets, compliance and implementation guides, model catch certificates, and model aggregated catch certificates, to assist stakeholders in complying with SIMP. Additional resource materials like these, and their foreign language translations can be found here.
- U.S. Government Task Force IUU Fishing and Seafood Web Portal - A web portal of U.S. activities and the federal agencies involved with implementing federal recommendations to comprehensively combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud from entering the U.S. market place.
- Public Webinars and Meetings on SIMP- We engage with the seafood industry about SIMP through a series of public meetings and webinars. Review transcripts and recordings of public meetings here.
- Final Rule Establishing a U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program (PDF) - Final regulatory language with list of included species and Harmonized Tariff Schedule numbers.
- Compliance Guide: Seafood Import Monitoring Program (PDF) - Answers to frequently asked questions regarding implementation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program.
- Fact Sheet: U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program (PDF) - Brief overview of SIMP development, scope, requirements, and resources.
- Implementation Guide for SIMP - Software developer programming guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for entry filers in the Automated Commercial Environment/International Trade Data System.
Announcements and Actions
- Development of a Commerce Trusted Trader Program
- U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program Rulemaking:
- Final Rule: Final Rule and Supporting Materials; Press Release (December 8, 2016)
- Proposed Rule: Proposed Rule and Request for Comments; Press Release (February 4, 2016); Extension of Comment Period: Announcement 1 and Extension of Comment Period: Announcement 2 (March 31, 2016)
- About the U.S. Government Task Force on Combating IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud
- Presidential Memorandum: Comprehensive Framework to Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud (June 17, 2014)
Contact Us
For questions, or to sign up for updates on the Seafood Import Monitoring Program, email NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection at IUU.fishing@noaa.gov.
