Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Edible Aquatic Animals from United Kingdom

According to the regulations of China Customs and the Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the quarantine and hygiene requirements for the export of British edible aquatic animals to China, from now on, the import of products that meet the following requirements is allowed.

1. Inspection and quarantine basis

(1) The Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China;

(2) The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Inspection of Animals and Plants Entering and Exiting the Territory and its implementing regulations;

(3) The Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementing regulations;

(4) Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Inspection and Quarantine of Imported Aquatic Animals;

(5) Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the Quarantine and Health Requirements for the Export of British Edible Aquatic Animals to China.

2. Scope of permitted imported products

Edible aquatic animals refer to live aquatic animals that are artificially farmed or wild for human consumption, excluding species listed in the Appendix of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the List of Wild Animals under National Key Protection of China and the List of Invasive Alien Species under Key Management, and the list of relevant species is published on the Customs website.

3. Quarantine approval

Imports of British edible aquatic animals should go through quarantine approval procedures in advance and obtain a "Quarantine Permit for Import of Animals and Plants".

4. Requirements of production enterprises

Manufacturers (including farms, packaging farms and fishing vessels) exporting edible aquatic animals to China should meet the following conditions:

(1) Enterprises shall establish effective food hygiene and safety management in accordance with the principles of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) and the traceability system of edible aquatic animals to ensure that the whole process of breeding, fishing, packaging, storage, transportation, transit and export of edible aquatic animals meets the relevant hygiene and traceability requirements of both parties; Employees of the enterprise abide by infectious disease prevention measures;

(2) Edible aquatic animals exported to China shall comply with the relevant quarantine and safety and health requirements of edible aquatic animals in China and the United Kingdom;

(3) Approved and effectively supervised by the UK competent authority to comply with public health protocols issued by the UK competent authority;

(4) Recommended by the British competent official to the Chinese Customs and registered by the Chinese Customs. It cannot be exported to China without registration.

5. Requirements for imported products

(1) Wild edible aquatic animals exported to China shall be legally caught in the United Kingdom or by British fishing vessels in international waters, and breeding edible aquatic animals shall be farmed in British waters;

(2) During the breeding, fishing, temporary breeding, packaging, and transportation of edible aquatic animals exported to China, drugs prohibited by both parties shall not be used, and drugs restricted or permitted by both parties shall be used in accordance with regulations;

(3) The British competent officials shall carry out effective monitoring of animal diseases, toxic and harmful substances and foodborne microorganisms on edible aquatic animals exported to China, and the monitoring results shall comply with the requirements of the food safety and animal hygiene standards of the Chinese Customs;

(4) Edible aquatic animals are suitable for export after clinical inspection by the competent official inspectors of the United Kingdom before export, and no clinical signs of animal infectious diseases or parasitic diseases are found.

6. Packaging and labeling requirements

(1) Edible aquatic animals exported to China from different fishing areas or registered enterprises shall be packaged separately, and different types of edible aquatic animals shall be packaged separately;

(2) The packaging container should be brand new or sterilized to meet the needs of animal survival and welfare;

(3) Packaging materials, water or ice and bedding materials shall meet safety and health requirements, and must not contain pathogenic microorganisms, toxic and harmful substances, and aquatic organisms that may damage the ecological environment of water bodies;

(4) Labels should be affixed to the outer packaging, including: the name and scientific name of aquatic animals, the fishing area (only applicable to wild-caught aquatic animals), the name of the farm/packaging farm and the exporting enterprise, the registration number and the destination (the destination should be marked as the People's Republic of China) and other information.

7. Certificate requirements

Each batch of edible aquatic animals exported to China must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the British competent authority, which must be one original and two copies, and the original must be accompanied by the goods. The health certificate must be printed in English, Chinese or English, and is not valid if handwritten (unless signed by the inspecting officer) or altered. The hygiene certificate includes at least the following:

(1) The species (scientific and Latin names), packaging types, and weights of edible aquatic animals;

(2) Information such as the name and approval number of the farm if the edible aquatic animals are farmed; If the edible aquatic animals are wild-caught, the specific information of the fishing waters and the name and approval number of the packaging enterprise are the same;

(3) The names and addresses of the exporter and importer;

(4) The time of departure, port, and the type and number of the means of transport;

(5) Declare that edible aquatic animals meet the relevant requirements of the Protocol and are suitable for human consumption;

(6) The time of issuance of the certificate, the signature or seal of the official veterinarian in charge of the United Kingdom;

(7) The official seal of the competent authority;

8. Other requirements

China Customs implements import inspection and quarantine on edible aquatic animals exported to China.

Unqualified products will be returned, destroyed or otherwise disposed of in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations. For manufacturers with serious problems or repeated unqualified problems, China Customs can take measures such as strengthening inspection and quarantine or suspending imports.

GACC

April 27, 2026