

The NOAA Seafood Inspection Program certifies U.S. seafood products for export to any country requiring health certification.
Acts and Regulations - None specified.
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements
Certification is not required, however, USDC can provide General Health Export Certificate and Fish Certificate of Origin.
Contact
Minister of Fisheries and Resources Fishery Sid Ahmed FERROUKHI ministre@mpeche.gov.dz
Telephone: 021.43.39.47
Acts and Regulations
Labeling
All labels must indicate the following information:
Salted and dried fish must be packed in boxes lined with either greased paper or tin, and the boxes must weigh no more than 50 kg.
Product Specification Standards
Processed fish products are subject to detailed regulations concerning additives, artificial coloring and content, etc.
Contact
Ministerio de Agriculture, Ganaderia y Pesca
Subsecretaria de pesca y Acuicultura, Paseo Colón 982
Buenos Aires
Telephone: 00 54 11 4349-2558
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements - None specified.
Australia - Certification Requirements
These instructions establish and implement a procedure, which will assure national uniformity in the completion and issuance of the USDC SIP Export Health certificate unique to the product and shipment to Australia for computer-based certificates.
There are several Export Health Certificates for Australia unique to the type and presentation of the fishery product:
General Instructions for Completion of the Australian Export Health Certificates
Specific instructions for Completion of Australia Prawn certificate
Specific instructions for Completion of Health Certificate- Salmonid
Acts and Regulations
Import Control:
Imported Food Inspection Program
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
(AQIS) GPO Box 858
Canberra, ACT 2600 Australia
Import of fish products is subject to the Australian Food Standards Code developed by the National Food Authority.
Labeling
Labels must be printed in English and contain information regarding content, weight, additives, manufacture, trademarks and country of origin.
Tolerances or Guidelines
Standard A12: Metals and Contaminants in Food
Antimony - 1.5 ppm
Arsenic - 1.0 ppm
Cadmium
Copper
Lead
Mercury
Nitrates - added nitrates not permitted
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Selenium
Tin
Zinc
Ascorbic or Erythorbic Acid or its sodium salts
Benzoic or Sorbic Acid
Calcined Iron Oxid
Formaldehyde
Phosphates
Sulphur Dioxide
Acts and Regulations - None specified.
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements
Certification is not required; however, USDC can provide General Health Export Certificate and Fish Certificate of Origin.
Acts and Regulations - None specified.
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements
A Health Certificate for fish and fish products exported into the Republic of Belarus is required. Exporters should contact the issuing authority for United States, USDC NOAA Seafood Inspection Program, prior to export to make arrangements to obtain certification.
Acts and Regulations
Labeling
Country of Origin must be declared.
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements
Certification is not required, however, USDC can provide General Health Export Certificate and Fish Certificate of Origin.
Acts and Regulations
All foodstuffs imported into Bolivia must be registered annually with the National Health Department.
Food Regulations specify permitted preservatives and additives in canned products.
Contact
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto
Plaza Murillo - c. Ingavi esq c. Junin, La Paz - Bolivia
Telephone: (591) (2) 2408900
Fax: (591) (2) 2408642
Labeling
Food labels must contain the following information in Spanish:
name of the product;
net weight or volume of the contents in metric units;
date of manufacture or packing of the product;
country of origin;
statement as to whether the product is natural or artificial; and
name and address of the importer, agent or representative.
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements - None specified.
Certification Requirements
Bosnia and Herzegovina have elected to use the EU model health certificate with public and animal health attestations. Bosnia and Herzegovina are not a participant of the Veterinary Equivalence Agreement between the US and EU, therefore all product exported to Bosnia and Herzegovina requires inspection. Product produced in a USDC HACCP QMP facility does not require physical inspection.
US Facilities should appear on both the domestic FDA List and the European Union Approved list at the following link:
Certifying officers should verify that all foreign-sourced material should be from manufacturing facilities listed at the following link: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/directory/publication/establishment/index#!/search?countryCode=US&sort=country.translation
The certificate must be issued before the consignment to which it relates leaves the control of the competent authority of the country of dispatch. Therefore, the health certificate must be issued after all the products in the consignment have been produced but before the consignment leaves the country, ideally when the product leaves the dispatch establishment.
The original version of the certificate must accompany consignments on entry into Bosnia and Herzegovina (original signature of an authorized officer, the name in capital letters, the qualification and title, and original stamp of the competent authority).
Certification Requirements
In January 2010, the Brazilian Ministry, The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Control published aquatic health regulations on the fishery products into Brazil. These regulations are within the scope of their authority under OIE and WTO guidelines and are currently in effect. Brazil requires importers in Brazil to obtain import permits prior to bringing seafood products into Brazil. US exporters are required to be USDC NOAA Seafood Inspection Program Approved Establishments
On April 24, 2020, the Brazilian Ministry published Circular Letter#81/2020/DHC/CGI /DIPOA /SDA/ MAPA. This regulation provides for US exports of lobster and lobster product certification using the Health Certificate For The Import Of Lobster And Lobster Products From Wild Fisheries. Brazil requires importers in Brazil to obtain import permits prior to bringing seafood products into Brazil. US exporters are required to be USDC NOAA Seafood Inspection Program Approved Establishments
Impacts on US competent authority and exporters
The USDC NOAA Fisheries Seafood Inspection Program (SIP) is the competent US authority for aquatic health certification for wild-harvested seafood exports intended for human consumption, as per MOU between NOAA Fisheries and USDA/APHIS.
For fishery products destined for Brazil, NOAA SIP has agreed to:
U.S. Exporters will be required to follow the guidelines listed below for the exportation of fishery products to Brazil.
These requirements are the procedural points as agreed to by NOAA Fisheries through the U.S. Embassy/USDA for Brazil during March 2012 meetings.
Follow these instructions to find an updated Approved List of U.S. Exporters to Brazil:
Use the following instructions as guidance for completion of the Label Submittal processing.
Appendix 1
The plants must be registered in MAPA’s system, and then the companies can apply for the label registration.
The company needs to request access to the system. (This will be done via regional offices providing USDC HQ a letter from each company, which is then forwarded to USDA Brazil).
For MAPA to grant access to the company (according to the new legislation), MAPA needs to receive a letter from USDA (or FAS/Brasilia) in Portuguese, with the following information:
After that, MAPA will grant authorization for that person (from the requesting company), who will be in charge for the label registration process and securing all the files. Under this process, MAPA will not request any additional certification/information/letter from the competent authority.
Each company will be responsible for inserting the information in the system regarding the label and will receive the result on the system via e-mail.
USDA Brasilia can facilitate the access in the system for the companies. The point of contact is:
Camila Aquino
Agricultural Specialist | U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Embassy | Brasília
+55-61-98268-1800 | camila.aquino@usda.gov
Other Information
Tolerances and Guidelines
Total Mercury:
The Brazilian legislation on sanitary inspection of animal products, RIISPOA, since 1952 through Decree No. 30.691, considers as improper for human consumption fish that contains massive muscle infestation by parasites, which may or may not harm the health of the consumer. RIISPOA was updated through Decree 9.013 / 2017 dated March 29, 2017, duly informed to the WTO, which provides provisions on clearer fish parasites and in agreement with the current scientific literature.
This Decree provides the following requirements on official control and understanding by the establishments:
Article 209 establishes the control of parasites as one of the official controls to be carried out by the sanitary authority
Article 212 establishes the obligation of visual verification of injuries attributable to diseases or infections, as well as the presence of parasites through monitoring performed by qualified personnel of the establishment.
Art. 499 It considers improper for human consumption the fish or products of fish that presents massive muscular infection by parasites
US exporters to Brazil must
Update
Wild marine fish and seafood products for human consumption destined to Canada must originate from the U.S. or a country that is approved to export that product directly to Canada. (As identified in the Automated Import Reference System.) These instructions establish and implement a procedure that will assure national uniformity when completing and issuing aquatic animal health certificates for products shipped from the U.S. to Canada.
As a reminder, U.S. exporters must consult with the Canadian importer on current requirements. U.S. exporters are advised to determine if the seafood product requires an aquatic animal health certification with the import permit and if the originating country is approved for export to Canada.
Background
Aquatic animals listed as susceptible to regulated diseases require an import permit to enter Canada. This measure is aimed at protecting Canada's aquatic animal resources. Enforcement of these requirements were phased in and came into effect either on December 10, 2012, February 4, 2013 or April 8, 2013.
The three U.S. federal agencies that function as competent authorities for exported aquatic animals—USDA-APHIS; NOAA Fisheries; and Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS)— have worked with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on specific export requirements for continued U.S. trade in aquatic animals and products with Canada. In many cases, regionalization has been established and animals can move without a health/zoosanitary certificate from the origin.
As of December 10, 2012, an import permit issued from CFIA and possibly a health certificate from NOAA-SIP / APHIS / FWS must accompany each shipment.
NOAA-SIP will be issuing certification for these exports:
As of April 8, 2013, CFIA has enforced the third and final phase of Canada's aquatic animal import requirements, which applies to animals intended for Food Service, Retail Use and Further Processing (i.e., human consumption). The NOAA SIP and USDA negotiated with CFIA, the health certificate for live mollusks intended for Food Service, Retail Use and Further Processing. As a result of this negotiation NOAA-SIP now endorses all live marine molluscan shellfish certificates destined for Canada for the end uses of Food Service, Retail Use and Further Processing.
March 2019, NOAA SIP has been advised by CFIA to update its guidance to U.S. exporters and NOAA inspectors on the aquatic animal health import requirements for re-export of fish and seafood products that are of non-U.S. origin. Specifically, products imported with a CFIA aquatic animal health import permit, from non-U.S. origin countries identified as Refuse Entry in AIRS are not permitted to be re-exported from the U.S. to Canada.
NOAA SIP inspectors are reminded that export of live and dead wild-harvested marine finfish to be used as bait and aquatic animal feed exported from the U.S. require a CFIA import permit and must be accompanied by a specific U.S. export certificate. In addition, bait fish consignments also require inspection.
(i.e., For the Export of Live and Dead, Wild-Harvested Finfish and their Germplasm and Crustaceans for Bait and Feeding to Aquatic Animals from the United States of America to Canada).
General Inspection Guidance
With exception of the Canadian bait fish certificate which requires inspection, at the present time certificates are issued similar to the EU in that neither a lot inspection nor HACCP QMP eligibility is required. Shipments requiring this certification will fall under a random audit or random inspection approach as directed by HQ.
The certification requirements for Canada pertain to Aquatic Animal Health and not food safety. The purpose for these requirements is to address the protection of Canada’s aquatic resources. Not all seafood products require Aquatic Animal Health certificates. Certification is focused on specific seafood products, from specific areas shipped to specific locations in Canada and the end use by the Canadian importer.
All wild marine fish and seafood products for human consumption destined to Canada must originate in the U.S. or from a country that is approved to export that product directly to Canada. This guidance only applies to products that require a CFIA aquatic animal health import permit.
Exporters are advised to check the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) to determine if a wild fish and seafood product requires an aquatic animal health import permit and, if the originating country is approved for export to Canada.
Additional information
Automated Import Reference System (AIRS)
Contacts for CFIA Area Offices
World Organization for Animal Health
Regulated species and the diseases of concern
General
Canada requires facilities that intend to export animal products and by-products defined as rendered products by CFIA to complete a CFIA facility questionnaire. The purpose of the Questionnaire is to identify ruminants and/or SRM cross contamination risks. An annual on-site audit by the endorsing NOAA SIP is required to verify that the information provided within the questionnaire is complete and accurate as presented. The audit to facilitate issuance of the questionnaire must be done both within 6 months of the questionnaire request and within the same calendar year. The facilities management controls and responsibilities; feed safety programs; sanitation and prerequisite programs will be audited according to the Policies, Procedures, and Requirements for the Approval of Facilities and Systems (available on the SIP website). During the audit, a minimum of 5 verification samples collected randomly from multiple lots of finished product will be collected aseptically by SIP auditors and sent to the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory to test for Salmonella and Enterobacteriaceae.
Please read and follow the instructions found within the CFIA Facility Questionnaire for Animal Products and Animal By-Products (APABP) document and submit the completed questionnaire to the appropriate CFIA office, along with the import permit application required.
Note: No questionnaire is required for fish oil. A completed questionnaire is required for all other commodities listed as "rendered products" within the import policy: TAHD-DSAT-IE-2002-10-10 Animal Health Import Requirements for Raw Inedible Products and Rendered products.
Certificate Requirements:
All fishmeal, fish oil, and other aquatic animal proteins (used as feed and feed additives) to be exported from the United States to Canada must meet the requirements listed above. A statement indicating “no cross contamination with proteins other than fish” is required on each certificate issued. For facilities that only handle or store fishmeal for export to Canada, certificates may be based upon an USDC annual audit program.
Export certification to Canada for reprocessing and re-export to EU requires the firm must have a current Questionnaire and be listed in traces.
Acts and Regulations
Labeling:
Foodstuffs must contain the following in Spanish:
Specific name of the product, net weight or volume in metric units, date of manufacture or packing, designation "imported product", and the name and address of the importer, agent or representative.
Health Trade Specifications:
Imported fish products are subject to detailed regulations regarding standards of quality, and imports require prior authorization from:
Chilean National Health Service
Montyas 689
Santiago, Chile
Tolerances or Guidelines
Arsenic: 1.00 ppm
Copper: 10.00 ppm
Lead: 2.00 ppm
Selenium: 0.30 ppm
Zinc: 100.00 ppm
Certification Requirements
Certificate of Legal Origin is required. Exporters should contact the issuing authority for United States, USDC NOAA Seafood Inspection Program, prior to export to make arrangements to obtain certification.
Certification Requirements
Information on import requirements can be obtained from the General Administration of Customs People's Republic of China (GACC). Exporters should carefully discuss regulations and their application with Chinese importers to ensure that their interpretation of the regulations is accurate. Please refer to the following link:
The People's Republic of China (PRC) requires that all importers of seafood products be registered and listed on the General Administration of Customs People's Republic of China (GACC) approved importers list. In addition, as of June 15, 2019, PRC requires all importers of seafood to obtain third-party certification of compliance with the relevant standards, laws, and regulations of PRC to maintain listing status and access to the Chinese market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is responsible for managing the list of US firms that ship to the PRC. To gain new or maintain existing listing status, FDA requires establishments to submit evidence of third-party certification via the Export Listing Module (ELM).
Currently registered importers
All processors of product for export to PRC must be from an Approved Establishment in the USDC Seafood Inspection Program. All consignments must have a USDC SIP Lot inspection or be produced under USDC NOAA QMP and all consignments must obtain an USDC SIP Export Health certificate unique to the product and shipment.
*All foreign sourced materials used in US-produced products must come from a General Administration of Customs People's Republic of China (GACC). The PRC maintains a Food Catalog in which all Processed Aquatic Products that are approved for import into PRC from the US are listed. These instructions establish and implement a procedure that will assure national uniformity in the completion and issuance of the USDC SIP Export Health certificate unique to the product and shipment to the People’s Republic of China for computer-based certificates.
General
● The bilingual Export Health Certificate is used for certifying non-live fishery products for export to PRC.
● The bilingual Export Health Certificate –Live product will be issued for Live fishery products intended for direct human consumption for export to PRC.
Procedures for completion of Export Health Certificate to PRC
Tolerances and Guidelines
Maximum level of contaminants in fish products:
List of Tolerances and Guidelines for Therapeutants and Antibiotics |
||
Item |
Products |
Standard |
Chloramphenicol |
Aquaculture and wild caught fresh water fish |
None Detected |
Crystal Violet (and Leucocrystal violet) |
Aquaculture and wild caught fresh water fish |
None Detected |
Furazolidone |
Not specified |
None detected |
Malachite Green (and Leucomalachite green) |
Aquaculture and wild caught fresh water fish |
None detected |
Nitrofurans |
Aquaculture and wild caught fresh water fish |
None Detected |
Quinolones |
Aquaculture and wild caught fresh water fish |
≤ 0.1 mg/kg |
Stilbestrol |
Not specified |
None detected |
Sulfonamide |
Aquaculture and wild caught fresh water fish |
≤ 0.1 mg/kg |
Terramycin |
Not specified |
≤ 0.1mg/kg muscle |
Uritrate (Oxolinic Acid) |
Eels |
≤ 0.3 mg/kg muscle and skin |
(1 mg/kg = 1 ppm)
China requires facilities to implement HACCP and have a system to ensure the recall and traceability of products. Products must meet the requirements of the United States and be allowed for free sale. Effective July 1, 2012, all fish meal, fish oil, and other aquatic animal proteins (feed and feed additives) to be exported from the United States to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) must meet the requirements of the General Administration of Customs (GACC) No. 118 Decree. According to this decree, all manufacturing facilities that produce feed and feed additives must be registered with GACC. In order to be registered with GACC, a facility must SIP Approved Establishment for Fishery By-products and be approved to export to PRC. Approval will only be given if all hygiene and quarantine requirements of the PRC for imports of fish oil, fish meal and other aquatic animal proteins are met. Upon approval, the SIP will add the facility to the list of approved facilities provided to GACC.
SIP Requirements:
Facilities wishing to export fish meal, fish oil, and other aquatic animal proteins to the PRC must be a SIP-pproved Establishment for fishery by-products not intended for human consumption. Facilities must provide the required laboratory analysis for each shipment.
Certification Requirements
Export certificates for fishery by-product to the PRC will only be issued by SIP if the facility is approved for export. This approval is based upon compliance with PRC requirements as indicated by audit reports and laboratory testing results. This includes five randomly selected samples (200g of dry product or 8oz of liquid product each) collected from each lot/consignment of product designated for export. The request for inspection and results from third-party laboratories must be emailed to NMFS.SI.Fishmeal@noaa.gov prior to any export documentation being issued. All laboratory results and audit reports will be reviewed by the SIP regional office responsible for issuing export certification to verify compliance with all PRC and SIP requirements.
How to obtain certification to China
For certification to China please use the Seafood Inspection Program Online Services Portal (SISP):
Product Requirements
Raw materials used to produce fish oil, fishmeal, or other aquatic animal proteins may be aquatic animals caught in domestic waters or open sea, aquaculture animals, or by-products from plants manufacturing aquatic products for human consumption.
Aquatic animals killed for disease eradication cannot be used as raw materials.
The product must not contain any ingredients of non-aquatic animals and must not be contaminated by any products of animal origin from third countries. Products must be subjected to a heat treatment of at least 85C for 15 minutes or other time/temperature combinations that have been validated to be equivalent. Effective measures must be taken to prevent contamination both during and post-processing.
Fish oil, fishmeal must not contain hazardous substances which pose a risk to public or animal health and must be in compliance with the safety and hygiene standards listed below. All fish oil, fishmeal, or other aquatic animal proteins intended for export to the PRC must be tested and found to be negative for ruminant proteins by PCR or other effective methods. Products for export must meet the following microbiological requirements: Salmonella: Absent in 25 g: n=5, c=0, m=0, M=0, Enterobacteriaceae: n=5, c=2, m=10, M=300 in 1 g.
The end product must be packaged in new, clean, sealed, impermeable, moisture resistant, durable materials and labeled in compliance with standards set by the PRC. For bulk shipments, the containers or other means of transport should be thoroughly cleaned with a disinfectant approved by the competent authority before use.
Each shipment must be accompanied with an original export health certificate.
Laboratory Testing Requirements:
Fishery by-product for export to the PRC must be in compliance with the PRC Hygiene standards listed below and be tested at the frequency indicated. These tests may be performed by a third-party laboratory that has been recognized by the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory as a laboratory accredited against ISO standards for the specific analyses being performed.
Test |
Criteria |
Frequency |
Mercury |
≤ 0.5 mg/kg |
Annually |
Cadmium (Cd) |
≤ 2.0 mg/kg |
Annually |
Lead |
≤ 10 mg/kg |
Annually |
Chromium (Cr) |
≤ 8 mg/kg |
Annually |
Arsenic (As) |
≤ 10 mg/kg |
Annually |
Total count of mold |
≤ 20000 cfu/g |
Annually |
Salmonella |
Absence in 25 g: n = 5, c = 0, m = 0, M = 0 * |
During audits & Each Lot/Consignment |
Shigella |
Not detected |
Annually |
Enterobacteriaceae |
n = 5, c = 2, m = 10, M = 300 in 1 g (Results may be expressed as CFU/g or MPN/g depending upon method of analysis) * |
During audits & Each Lot/Consignment |
Total plate count |
≤ 2,000,000 cfu/g |
Annually |
Melamine |
≤ 2.0 mg/kg |
Annually |
Malachite green |
Not detected |
** |
Dioxin |
≤ 1.25 ng/kg |
Annually |
Salmonella |
Not detected in 25g; n=5, c=0, m=0, M=0 * |
Each Audit |
Enterobacteriaceae |
n = 5, c = 2, m = 10, M = 300 in 1 g * |
Each Audit |
Malachite green |
Not detected |
** |
Dioxin |
≤ 6.0 ng/kg |
Each audit |
* n = number of samples to be tested. m = threshold value for the number of bacteria; the result is considered satisfactory if the number of bacteria in all samples does not exceed m. M =maximum value for the number of bacteria; the result is considered unsatisfactory if the number of bacteria in one or more samples is M or more. c = number of samples the bacterial count of which may be between m and M, the samples still being considered acceptable if the bacterial count of the other samples is m or less.
** Not required for wild caught fish. Annually for aquaculture fish.
Note: As long as fish oil has been properly heat treated and processing CCPs are met, microbiological testing is not required for facilities intending to ship to PRC.
Testing for ruminant protein: For facilities that handle only fisheries products, PCR testing (by a laboratory approved by APHIS) for ruminant protein will be required annually. For facilities that handle other animal proteins as well as fisheries products, PCR analysis for ruminant proteins will be required for each shipment of fish meal to the PRC.
Verification Testing and Monitoring: In addition to third-party laboratory testing, verification sampling/testing and monitoring will be conducted in Federal Laboratories. The National Seafood Inspection Laboratory (NSIL) will analyze verification samples collected by SIP auditors for microbiological analysis including Salmonella, Enterobacteriaceae, mold, and total plate count. Test results from the Food and Drug Administration’s Feed Contaminants Program, Feed Manufacturing compliance Program, Illegal Drug Residue Program, and BSE/Ruminant Feed Ban Inspections will also be used as additional verification of the safety and wholesomeness of the feed supply.
Certification Requirements
Only the agreed NOAA/SIP Columbia Export health certificate will be acceptable for US fishery product exports to Colombia. This SIP certificate has the HACCP attestation among others required by INVIMA. NOAA SIP will NOT be issuing HACCP attestation letters and FDA Free Sale certificates are NOT accepted by INVIMA.
All fishery products processed in the USA are eligible to receive the approved certificate when the facilities are in good standing with the US FDA. By regulation all seafood is processed in the USA is under FDA HACCP systems.
It is NOT a requirement of INVIMA that US processors be a participant in the USDC Approved Facility Program.
For foreign product, our SIP inspector must conduct a traceability audit to identify the overseas plant. The plant must be “endorsed” by the Competent Authority as adhering to HACCP. (This can be done in a variety of ways, such as by certificate from the Competent Authority or facility listing on the EU Approved List) Endorsement is not limited to the above examples and may include other appropriate methods. Other private 3rd party endorsements are not acceptable.
Each consignment must be certified by NOAA SIP on the basis of “a passed lot inspection or product processed under validated/approved QMP system”.
Acts and Regulations
Most goods are subject to import licensing. Licenses are obtained from:
Département de l'Économie Nationale de l'Industrie et du Commerce
Bldg. Onatra,
B.P. 85500
Kinshasa 1, Congo (Democratic Republic of)
Imports of fish products, excluding canned fish, are subject to inspection by the Veterinary Service, Department of Agriculture, prior to entry.
Tolerances or Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements - None specified.
Certification Requirements
Fish and fish products exported to Costa Rica require a Costa Rica Export Health Certificate.
Exporters should contact the issuing authority for United States, USDC NOAA Seafood Inspection Program, prior to export to arrange certification.
Senasa (Servicio Nacional De Salud Animal of Costa Rica) requires all processors of product for export to Costa Rica complete a questionnaire to obtain approved establishment status.
US processors can obtain the questionnaire by contacting Victor Gonzalez, Agricultural specialist with USDA FAS.
Victor Gonzalez
Agricultural Specialist
USDA/FAS San Jose, Costa Rica
Tel: (506) 2519-2288
E-mail: victor.gonzalez@fas.usda.gov
To access the current approved establishments list, choose “Establecimientos habilitados” (approved establishments), at the end of the page. When the document is unloaded in excel, choose the tab “USA” and then choose “Producto: pesca y acuicultura”.
Acts and Regulations
Processed fishery products are subject to specific labelling and marking requirements.
Labeling:
All labels must indicate the following in Spanish:
Registration of labels may be required prior to exportation to Costa Rica.
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Acts and Regulations
Labeling & Marking Standards:
Name of the country of origin, names and addresses of the manufacturer or exporter, and the Cuban importer must be shown on the package.
Weights and measures must be in metric units.
Import Control:
Ministry of Foreign Trade
Avenida Menocal No. 16 P5to
La Habana, Cuba
Tolerances or Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements - None specified.
Acts and Regulations
Dominican Council for Fisheries and Aquaculture (CODOPESCA) Law 307-04.
Labeling:
The authority does not require that the SIP verify that labels conform to regulatory requirements set by the Dominican Republic. The following is provided for information only. Exporters should confirm that labels satisfy all regulatory requirements before shipping.
Labels provide the following information in Spanish:
Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirements - None specified.
Acts and Regulations
Labeling and Marking Standards:
Imported fish products must be marked indelibly and legibly, showing measures or gross and net weights in metric measures and the country of origin.
Importer must be licensed.
Contact:
Ministerio De Industrias Commercio Integracion Y Pesca
V.M. Rendon 1006 y Sta. Elena
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Tolerances or Guidelines
Certification Requirements - None specified.
Acts and Regulations - None specified.
Note for Exporters
The importer must obtain a license prior to importation. Exporters are advised to verify requirements with the importer.
Tolerances or Guidelines - None specified.
Certification Requirement - None specified.
Certification Requirements
Fish and fish products exported to El Salvador require a General Export Health Certificate.
Exporters should contact the issuing authority for United States, USDC NOAA Seafood Inspection Program, prior to export to arrange certification. All exporters must be either registered with the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) or have USDC Approved Establishment status to obtain certification.
All US harvested and processed products are accepted for certification and export to El Salvador. In addition, foreign sourced product eligible for exports if processed in the US to the extent of an HS code change. Foreign sourced product that has not been processed (no HS code change) in the US is NOT eligible for export to El Salvador.
These instructions establish and implement a procedure which will assure national uniformity in the completion and issuance of the USDC SIP Export Health certificate unique to the product and shipment to French Polynesia for computer-based certificates.
The Exporter should consult with the importer on current specific requirements.
General
The bilingual Health Certificate French Polynesia is used for certifying fresh and saltwater fish and their spawning products, crustaceans, mollusks and other aquatic invertebrates intended for importation.
Requests for Inspection: Whether received by e-mail, telephone, fax or in writing, the information requested on NOAA Form 89-814, Request for Inspection Services, must be obtained from the applicant. If a written request contains the information necessary to perform the inspection, a NOAA Form 89-814 needs to be completed by SIP personnel prior to performing the inspection. The written request or NMFS-completed NOAA Form 89-814 will be filed with the file copy of the certificate as part of the permanent record.
Completing the Export Health Certificate: The certificate is prepared by transferring to it the pertinent information taken from its accompanying request and observations made during the inspection. In the case of HACCP QMP facility, the information will be provided by the requesting firm. All certification should be done via the NOAA SIP online certificate system. Only as an option when the system is down or unavailable is a PDF version issued. The directions below are guidance for both the system completion and the PDF certification for information required in fields located on the documents.
The certificate will be printed on official USDC watermarked paper only.
Health Attestations
Fit for human/animal consumption
Feed lots must not contain salmonella
Zoo Sanitary attestation
Decapods have been headed and peeled except for last segment and telson, processed and packaged for resale
Abalone have been eviscerated and shell off
Cooked processed products have been cooked, processed, dried or sterilized to assert proper controls to control the hazard
Specific Oyster processing and packaging requirements