STAG NEWS ALERT is produced for Australian Seafood Exporters, containing essential updates that may impact trade. Any information provided as part of this alert is general in nature. Before acting on any information provided, you should consider its appropriateness to your circumstances and business objectives.

4th December 2020

ALERT: Revision of health certification for seafood imported to China

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) has today released a Market Access Advice (MAA) with the regard to a notification from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) on amendments to the health certification for the export of non-viable seafood products into China.

This request has been made to more than 100 countries, and it is important to note this is not an isolated event related to Australia-China trade relations. The amendment comes as a means to further ensure the safety and traceability of aquatic products imported into China following the COVID-19 pandemic.

GACC has advised that from 1 January 2021, only aquatic products accompanied by an approved health certificate will be accepted for import.

DAWE understands that the term “aquatic products” as defined by China refers only to non-viable (dead) seafood. Due to this, existing health certification for the export of live aquatic animals (live seafood) into China will not be affected.

The collection of other additional information from industry will be required. Initially, each sector will need to provide information around catcher vessels and we strongly encourage you to work with your state peak bodies. Further information on the required data will be available next week from DAWE and the Seafood Trade Advisory Group.

The Australian seafood industry is working to comply with the timeframes set and believes we have the capacity to achieve this deadline and are ready to assist DAWE and provide any necessary information to facilitate this.

Further updates will be made available to industry when available.

Nathan Maxwell-McGinn, Chair, Seafood Trade Advisory Group

and

Veronica Papacosta, CEO, Seafood Industry Australia
Brian Jeffriess, Chair, Seafood Export Consultative Committee

If you would like to contact Nathan Maxwell-McGinn, Chair, Seafood Trade Advisory Group you may contact him here: admin@seafoodtradeadvisory.com 

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STAG Alerts are a resource for Australian seafood exporters. The Seafood Trade Advisory Group receives funds from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.  The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation plans, invests in and manages fisheries research and development throughout Australia. It is a statutory authority within the portfolio of the federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, jointly funded by the Australian Government and the fishing industry.