Notice to the marine shipping industry: Uncertified marine vessels arriving from AGM-regulated areas

December 8 2021

The Canadian high risk period for AGM has ended for 2021 and vessels do not currently require AGM certification to enter Canadian ports. In 2022, the requirement for AGM certification will again begin March 1 for Western Canada and March 15 for Eastern Canadian ports.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has received some questions from industry about the process for vessels that arrive in Canada during the Canadian high risk period (March to September) without an AGM certificate if COVID-19 port or boarding restrictions were to impact availability of inspection and certification services in AGM regulated areas. The following information aims to clarify the requirements:

• During the AGM high risk period for Canada (March to September) all uncertified vessels will be directed to an offshore anchorage location for inspection by the CFIA
• To avoid diversion upon arrival vessels must obtain AGM certification
  • The AGM certificate must be issued from at least the last port of call in a regulated area that was visited during the specified risk period, or anytime afterwards, prior to entering Canadian waters
  • Inspection and certification for AGM can be requested year round from any of the recognized sources of AGM certification (please see Appendix 4 of D- 95-03: Plant protection policy for marine vessels arriving in Canada from areas regulated for AGM)
• For vessels that have called on AGM-regulated ports with restrictions due to COVID-19 that affect availability of inspection and certification services, it may be possible to arrange for AGM inspection and certification in a port that does not have such restrictions
  • If a vessel is calling on any port in any of the regulated areas prior to arriving in Canada, AGM inspection and certification can be requested; including China south of the area regulated for AGM
    • This includes bunkering locations
  • If a vessel is calling on a port outside of the AGM regulated area, AGM inspection and certification may be arranged through a branch office of some of the Japanese inspection and certification bodies that provide service outside of the regulated area
  • Alternatively, if a vessel is calling on a port outside of the AGM regulated area and in an area that does not have a branch office of a recognized inspection body, AGM inspection and certification may be arranged through one of the Japanese or Korean inspection and certification bodies that provide remote AGM inspection services
• A vessel that arrives in Canada without the required AGM certification may be subject to additional enforcement action including, but not limited, to an administrative monetary penalty (AMP) notice of violation
• If a vessel operator believes there were circumstances that prevented them from obtaining AGM certification this should be provided to the CFIA for review

For further information please contact: CFIA-IAS_ACIA-EEE@inspection.gc.ca