Export Requirements by Country and Jurisdiction (A-F)

Algeria

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

Argentina

Acts and Regulations

Labeling

All labels must indicate the following information:

• country of origin
• quantity
• ingredients
• net weight

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

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.

General

There are several Export Health Certificate’s for Australia unique to the type and presentation of the fishery product:

• Non-viable adult Atlantic Menhaden
• Baitfish/Aquatic animal feeds
• Cooked Crustaceans
• Gelatin made from fish products intended for human consumption
• Eviscerated, Head-off, Non-Consumer-Ready, Non-Salmonid finfish
• Non-Eviscerated, Non-Salmonid finfish
• Health Certificate - Salmonid
• Australia Prawn
• Bivalve Molluscs and Bivalve Mollusc products

1. 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.
2. 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 requesting firm will provide the information. All certification should be done via the NOAA SIP online certificate system. Only as an option when the system is certification for information required in fields located on the documents.
3. The certificate will be printed on official USDC watermarked paper only.

General instructions for Completion of the Australian Export Health Certificates

1. Choose appropriate Export certificate for unique product and presentation of product.
2. Ensure specific attestations listed on certificate have been met for each consignment.
3. All consignments must have the Australian Import permit, a USDC SIP Lot inspection and a USDC SIP Export Health certificate unique to the product and shipment.
4. The firm listed as the manufacturer/processor on the export certificate to Australia must be listed as an Approved Establishment in the USDC Seafood Inspection Program. This is a requirement at the request of the Australian authorities for the appropriate use of the attestations on each US export certificate.
5. BICON is the suggested resource for US exports to Australia to access existing import conditions import permit requirements. The link to the BICON site is:https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0

Specific instructions for Completion of Australia Prawn certificate.

1. I.12 requires information regarding Post processing testing lab. Name , address and test report number must be provided
2. I.28 requires both the batch ID information and which batch definition is applied. The batch definition options are located in the corresponding footnote. This information must be listed for each product.
3. II.2 requires a single selection made to indicate which animal health attestations apply to the shipment.
4. II.2 requires that the cooked prawns be frozen.
5. II.2 If the request is for prawn products of non-US origin which have transited through or further processed in the US, these products would be permitted import into Australia, provided that NOAA is able to certify to all the attestations on the health certificate. The validity of the attention chosen shall be verified by documentation issued by the competent authority of the country of origin.
6. II.2 requires that each batch be free of white spot syndrome virus and yellow head virus genotype 1 based on post-processing sampling and testing. Furthermore, the sampling must be completed by Seafood Inspection Program. The lot numbers listed on the laboratory sampling must match exactly those listed on the Health Certificate.

Specific Instructions for Completion of Health Certificate – Bivalve Molluscs and Bivalve Mollusc Products

As of November 9, 2023, consignments of certain bivalve molluscs and bivalve mollusc products (excluding those that are both retorted and shelf stable, or dried) must be covered by a recognized foreign government certificate to be imported into Australia. This foreign government certificate can be obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA point of contact is the FDA Export Certification Team, Office of the Center Director, CFSANExportCertification@fda.hhs.gov or telephone: 240-402-2307.

Specific instructions for Completion of Health Certificate- Salmonid

1. I.5 must include the import permit number
2. I.17 Lists the original source harvester or farm. Name, address, and approval number.
   Salmonids must only be sourced from one of the following approved countries:
   Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and/or the United States of America
3. I.26 Lists the 3^rd country of place of intermediate product processing. This field is completed if applicable.
   Salmonids must only be processed in the following approved countries: Canada, Denmark, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and/or the United States of America
4. I.28 shall be limited to Salmonid species approved for export to Australia:
   Brachymystax spp, Coregonus spp, Hucho spp, Oncorhynchus spp, Parahucho spp, Prosopium spp, Salmo spp, Salvelinus spp, Salvethymus spp, Stenodus spp, Thymallus spp, Plecoglossus spp

Acts and Regulations

Import Control:

Imported Food Inspection Program  

Department Of Agriculture, Water, and Environment

https://www.agriculture.gov.au/import

(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.

Labelling

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

• Fish and fish content of products containing fish - 0.2 ppm
• Molluscs and mollusc content of products containing molluscs - 2.0 ppm

Copper

• Molluscs and the mollusc content of products containing molluscs -70.0 ppm
• Other fish and fish products - 10.0 ppm

Lead

• Canned fish - 2.5 ppm
• Other fish and fish products - 1.5 ppm
• Molluscs - 2.5 ppm

Mercury

• Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and the fish content of products containing fish - 0.5 ppm (mean value)

Nitrates - added nitrates not permitted

Polychlorinated Biphenyls

• Fish - 0.5 ppm

Selenium

• Fish and fish products - 1.0 ppm

Tin

• All canned fish or fish products - 150.0 ppm
• All canned fish packed in tomato containing media - 200.0 ppm
• All other fish or fish products - 50.0 ppm

Zinc

• Oysters - 1000.0 ppm
• Other fish or fish products -150.1ppm Food Standards Code

Ascorbic or Erythorbic Acid or its sodium salts

• Frozen Fish - 400.0 ppm

Benzoic or Sorbic Acid

• Marinated Fish - 1000.0 ppm

Calcined Iron Oxid

• Fish Paste/Spread - 500.0 ppm

Formaldehyde

• Smoked Fish - 50.0 ppm

Phosphates

• Frozen fish - 1300.0 ppm
• Canned Abalone - 3000.0 ppm
• Canned Tuna - 5000.0 ppm
• Canned fish other than abalone or tuna - 2200.0 ppm

Sulphur Dioxide

• Fresh, Frozen Shrimp - 30.0 ppm
• Canned Crustacea - 30.0 ppm

Australia - Rendered Fishery By-Products 

Australian export health certification for rendered product not intended for human consumption will be provided to requesting facilities that are USDC Approved Establishments for Fishery By-products, are in good standing with program requirements, and have had their
product tested within the last 12 months.

Bahamas

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.

Belarus

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.

Bermuda

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.

Bolivia

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.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

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:

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/tracesnt/directory/publication/establishment/index#!/search?countryCode=US&sort=country.translation

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).

Brazil

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:

• Forward “Letters of Request for Approval” from US exporters to DIPOA
• Approve processing facilities under the USDC SIP Approved facilities program prior to export certification
• Certify the product and species being exported
• Verify that the exporter is on the Brazilian Approved List (Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento – MAPA , Secretaria de Defesa Agropecuária – SDA, Departamento de Inspeção de Produtos de Origem Animal – DIPOA, Serviço de Inspeção Federal – SIF)
• Ensure all shipments must be lot inspected or shipped under Quality Management System
• Issue SIP Export Health certificates for all shipments. (English/Portuguese certificate to be Approved) All inspected product must have the SIP Export Health certification for Brazil prior to shipment.

U.S. Exporters will be required to follow the guidelines listed below for the exportation of fishery products to Brazil.

• Forward a “Letter of Request for Approval” to the regional SIP office, to be forwarded by the SIP to gain placement on the Brazilian Approved list. Regional SIP will review and verify the letters then forward to SIP HQ for final approval and forwarding to U.S. Embassy Brazil
• U.S. Processing facility must be under the USDC SIP Approved facilities program prior to export
• After Facility Registration is approved, the US facility must identify a Brazilian importer and complete a label registration process.
• All inspected product must have the SIP Export Health certification for Brazil prior to shipment.
• U.S. export shipments are required to present a sworn translation of the USDC SIP Official Health certificate information upon import. 3rd party Brazilian services are available and accepted for this documentation.

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:

• Then choose: Pais: "Estados Unidos"
• Area: " Pescado e Derivados "
• All other fields leave in blank
• Then press " Consultar"
• Every time it generates an updated pdf list.

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:

1. Identification of the plant (plant name, address, and establishment number)
2. Copy of the personal ID (driver's license or passport) of the person that will be in charge for the registration process of the specific plant. 

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:

• 0.5 ppm for non-carnivore fish
• 1.0 ppm for carnivore fish.

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

• implement the Codex Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products
• apply the Codex Alimentarius Standard 36-1981 for quick frozen finfish
• apply Codex Standard 190-1995-Rev 2011-2013-2014 Quick Frozen Fish Fillets

Canada

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:

• Live and dead wild-harvested marine finfish and their germplasm for bait and feeding to aquatic animals from the United States of America to Canada. (Certification requires inspection)
• Live or carcass wild-harvested marine finfish, crustaceans for food service and retail use from the United States of America to Canada. 
• Live or carcass wild-harvested marine finfish, crustaceans for further processing from the United States of America to Canada. 
• Live mollusks for food service, retail use, and further processing from the United States of America to Canada. 

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.

• Although it is not required by Canada for Food Safety, occasionally we issue the standard Export Health certificate for Canada via SISP upon request by customer.

• The certificates will be printed on official USDC watermarked paper only.

Additional information

Automated Import Reference System (AIRS)

Aquatic Animal Imports

Contacts for CFIA Area Offices

USDA APHIS / Canada Exports

World Organization for Animal Health

Regulated species and the diseases of concern

Canada - CFIA Facility Questionnaire for Rendered By-Products

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.

Chile

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.

Chile - Rendered Fishery By-Products

The export requirement for Chile is a Certificate of Legal Origin. To obtain the Chile Certificate of Legal Origin, the firm must be in good standing with the Office of Legal Enforcement (OLE) but does not require USDC Approved Establishments for Fishery By-products status. In addition,
if the raw materials are foreign sourced, then the firm must provide Legal Harvest documentation.

Chile does not require an Export Health Certificate but one can be provided upon request. Export health certification for fishery by-products not intended for human consumption will only be provided to facilities that are USDC Approved Establishments for Fishery By-products, are in good standing with program requirements, and have had their product tested within the last 12 months.

China

China - Fish Meal Inspection Program

Colombia

Certification Requirements

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. It is NOT a requirement of INVIMA that US processors be a participant in the USDC Approved Facility Program.

4. 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.

5. Each consignment must be certified by NOAA SIP on the basis of “a passed lot inspection or product processed under validated/approved QMP system”.

Congo (Democratic Republic of)

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.

Costa Rica

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:

• name of product
• grade or quality
• composition
• net weight or volume, in metric units

Registration of labels may be required prior to exportation to Costa Rica.

Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.

Costa Rica - Rendered Fishery By-Products

Costa Rica export health certification for fish oil not intended for human consumption will be provided to requesting facilities that are USDC Approved Establishments for Fishery By-products, are in good standing with program requirements, and have had their product tested within the last 12 months. In addition, Costa Rica requires all fishmeal to meet the following requirements.

1. Fish used for the production of fishmeal in the United States is a fish byproduct that has been caught for human consumption and therefore it is subject to histamine controls for less than 400 ppm; or, comes from an establishment that performs analysis at the final product stage and meets the 400 ppm requirement.
2. The raw materials used to produce fish meal meet U.S. standards for organochlorines, PCBs, and heavy metals.

Cuba

As of November 2023, the United States maintains a comprehensive Trade Embargo with Cuba. However, certain U.S.-origin agricultural commodities may be exported to Cuba with authorization from the USDC Bureau of Industry and Security. See their website (below) for more information on their requirements for
obtaining authorization and licensing. SIP will not issue certification to Cuba without a company- and product-specific license.

https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/country-guidance/sanctioned-destinations/cuba

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.

Dominican Republic

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:

• the name and address of the manufacturer;
• the date by which the product must be consumed;
• the list of ingredients for processed fish products; and
• nutritional information

Tolerances and Guidelines - None specified.

Certification Requirements - None specified.

Ecuador

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

• Mercury: canned tuna 1.0 ppm and canned sardines 1.0 ppm
• Arsenic: canned tuna 1.0 ppm
• Lead: canned tuna 5.0 ppm
• Copper: canned tuna 10.0 ppm
• Tin: canned tuna 100.0 ppm

Certification Requirements - None specified.

Egypt

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.

European Union - Rendered Fishery By-Products

The following are requirements in accordance with the Commission Regulations  (EC) No. 1069/2009 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 142/2011:

1. The EU requires facilities exporting fish meal or oil (including storage facilities) to be listed on TRACES. Inclusion of US fish meal and oil processing facilities on TRACES requires participation as an “Approved Establishment” for Fishery By-products under the NOAA Fisheries Seafood Inspection Program, and an approved Process Validation as described in Part 6 of the U.S. Department of Commerce Seafood Inspection Manual (aka NOAA Handbook). 

TRACES listing information is available on the EU’s website at: TRACES NT

2. The EU requires exporting firms and storage facilities to have completed an audit and surveillance sampling and provide NSIL with the following documentation for verification:
   1. For dried rendered fishery by-products (fish meal, krill meal, bone meal etc.):
      1. process validation for that specific commodity, an audit and surveillance sampling that has been conducted within the last 12 months, and lot-specific testing
      2. each lot or consignment has been examined by the competent authority, where a random sample is taken immediately prior to dispatch (within 60 days of departure) and found to comply with the following standards:
         1. Salmonella:  Absence in 25g:  n=5, c=0, m=0, M=0
         2. Enterobacteriaceae:  n=5, c=2, m=10, M=300 in 1 g;
      3. each lot or consignment has undergone testing to ensure that it contains no products of ruminant origin.
      4. laboratory reports that support the shipment requirements to the destination country must identify “Lots sampled to the Lots being shipped.”
   2. For oil (fish oil, krill oi) and fish solubles, Salmate®, salmon protein concentrate l) - a process validation for that specific commodity, a current audit, and  samples submitted to the NSIL within the last 12 months that meet the same Salmonella and Enterobacteriaceae requirements identified above for dried animal by-products.
   3. For frozen animal by-products - an audit has been performed within the last 12 months to verify requirements for hazards and sanitation controls and HACCP are met. 
3. Exporters should have their importers confirm with the pertinent EU border inspection post (BIP) authorities that all requirements for entry of the consignment have been met prior to shipment. This includes verifying that all necessary information (in the interpretation of the BIP related to the specific materials to be in the consignment) is posted on TRACES and that all required documentation (e.g. export certificates) is available and satisfactory to the BIP. Individual EU countries may have different or additional requirements.
4. Certification of ingredients (including frozen aquatic animal by-products) for the manufacture of pet food is done using the EU Chapter 3(F) certificate (For animal by-products for the manufacture of pet food, intended for dispatch to or for transit through the European Union). The minimum requirements are as follows:
   1. Animal by-products must have been obtained in the United States from animals killed in the wild in an area:
      1. In which within 25 km there has been no case/outbreak of any of the following diseases for which the animals are susceptible:  foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, Newcastle disease or highly pathogenic avian influenza during the prior 30 days, nor of classical or African swine fever during the prior 40 days; and
      2. That is situated at a distance that exceeds 20 km from the borders separating another territory of a country or part thereof, which is not authorized at these dates for exporting this material to the European Union; and
   2. Have been obtained and prepared without contact with other material not complying with the conditions required above, and it has been handled so as to avoid contamination with pathogenic agents
   3. Have been packed in new packaging preventing any leakage and in officially sealed containers bearing the label indication “RAW MATERIAL ONLY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PET FOOD’ and the name and address of the EU establishment of destination
   4. Consists only of animal by-products from aquatic animals originating from plants or establishments manufacturing products for human consumption
   5. Have been deep-frozen at the plant of origin or have been preserved in accordance with EU legislation in such a way that they will not spoil between dispatch and delivery to the plant of destination.
5. Minimum Requirements for animal by-products to be used for purposes outside the feed chain or for trade samples is done using the EU Chapter 8 Certificate (For animal by-products to be used for purposes outside the feed chain or for trade samples intended for dispatch to or for transit through the European Union).

Laboratory samples or small quantities of aquatic animal by-products that are intended to be used as laboratory or trade samples and will not be consumed, may be certified using this certificate and the product must bear the label “TRADE SAMPLE NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION”

6. Minimum Requirements for processed aquatic animal by-products that will be used as ingredients in further processed products that will be exported to the EU:

If aquatic animal by-products are sold to facilities in the U.S. or Canada and will be used as an ingredient in pet food or animal feed for export to the EU, the product must meet the same requirements as those intended for export to the EU.  The EU certificate for the finished pet food or animal feed will not be issued by NOAA, but if the ingredients are produced in U.S. facilities as an Approved Establishment for Fishery By-products under in the NOAA Fisheries Seafood Inspection Program, NSIL will provide the necessary attestations for the aquatic animal by-product ingredients that can then be used by the competent authority issuing the certification of the finished product.

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.

French Polynesia

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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. The certificate will be printed on official USDC watermarked paper only.

4. Health Attestations

   1. Fit for human/animal consumption

   2. Feed lots must not contain salmonella

5. 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

For countries G-M

For countries N-Z

For Foreign Approved Lists