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New Zealand – Export requirements for fish and seafood

Information

New Zealand has implemented the Import Health Standard: Aquatic Animal Products effective November 11, 2022. You can find this document, including the Schedules which are referenced on this page, in the Additional information section.

Eligible/Ineligible product

Eligible

Ineligible

Pre-export approvals by the competent authority of the importing country

Permit to import

Product specifications

Maximum levels for chemical contaminants

These contaminant levels apply to fish and fish products on a fresh weight basis.

Current applicable guidelines, standards and restrictions that can be applied to Canadian fish and fish products may be found in the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries website.

Additional product requirements

There are additional product requirements for fish and seafood products of certain fish species, depending on their product form, processing condition, packaging and intended use.

Some products require that the fish species be listed in Schedules 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 of New Zealand's Import Health Standard: Aquatic Animal Products. For access to the Schedules, please select the Aquatic Animal Products – Import Health Standard pdf file on New Zealand's Requirement documents for importing seafood webpage.

Heat-treated non-salmonid fish products

Dried non-salmonid fish products

Non-salmonid fish skin-off fish fillets

Low-risk, non-salmonid fish products

Heat-treated crustacean products

Frozen crustacean products

Haliotis spp. (abalone) products

Mollusc products other than Haliotis spp. (abalone)

Aquatic animal meal and aquatic animal oil

Canned salmon

Labelling requirements

Documentation requirements

Certificate

  1. For salmonids (non-trout):

    Aquatic Animal Health and Sanitary Certificate for the Export of Eviscerated (Non-Trout) Salmonid Products for Human Consumption from Canada to New Zealand (AQAH 1067).

  2. For canned salmon:

    Certificate of Origin and Hygiene (CFIA/ACIA 5003)

    An additional statement must be included on the certificate:
    "The product has been heat-treated in a hermetically sealed container to an F0 value of 3 or more."

  3. For all fish and seafood products (other than salmonids):

    Health Certificate for the Export of Non-salmonid Aquatic Animal Products for Human Consumption from Canada to New Zealand (CFIA/ACIA FA1009).

    If the fish species is listed in Schedule 5 or Schedule 6, of the Import Health Standard: Aquatic Animal Products, the storage temperature, relevant bill of lading or temperature logs of the refrigerated container must be submitted to MPI on arrival to demonstrate that the freezing requirements have been met.

    Certificate Attestations

    This certificate is used for a wide range of non-salmonid fish and seafood products and contains attestations for each product category type. Any attestations which are not applicable to the product to be exported will need to be crossed out by the CFIA inspector.

    When the exporter fills out the certificate template, the exporter must clearly identify the product category type, name of fish family and fish species, and the attestations which are applicable to the product to the inspector.

    For products which fall into two product category types (example: frozen cooked lobster), the exporter should identify the product category type which is most applicable and ensure that the product meets the attestations listed under this product category.

    Failure to identify the required information for completing the attestations at the time of certificate template submission may result in delays or refusal to certify the product.

Additional information

Further information on import requirements can be obtained from the New Zealand's Ministry of Primary Industries webpage on importing seafood.

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