Morocco – Export requirements for fish and seafood

Eligible/Ineligible product

Eligible

• All fish and seafood products

Pre-export approvals by competent authority of importing country

Establishments

• All fish and seafood products exported to Morocco must be under the official oversight of the CFIA and Canadian establishments must be licensed under the Safe Food for Canadian Regulations (SFCR).
• For fish and seafood products exported to Morocco for temporary admission into Morocco and intended for the processing industry which will be subsequently exported to European Union countries:
  • Establishments must appear on the appropriate establishment list administered by Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG-SANTE). See European Union for more information.

ATLAS establishment registration platform

Morocco's Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA) has launched an electronic platform, ATLAS, for the registration of foreign establishments that manufacture, process, and/or store certain food products, including fish and seafood, that will be exported to Morocco.

Registration in the ATLAS system for applicable products is mandatory as of January 1, 2025.

Details on the requirements and process for application to ONSSA's ATLAS system can be found on the ATLAS industry guidance page. It is strongly recommended that Canadian exporters verify requirements with their importer in Morocco before contacting the CFIA.

Product specifications

In the case of aquaculture products

• If the products are of a species sensitive to Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) and/or Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis (EHN):
  • they come from an area considered free of ISA or EHN accordance with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH; founded as Office International des Épizooties (OIE)) standards
  • have been slaughtered and eviscerated
• If the products are of a species susceptible to Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) and/or Infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN):
  • they come from an area considered free of VHS or IHN in accordance with WOAH standards
  • have been slaughtered and eviscerated

Documentation requirements

Certificate

• Health Certificate for imports to the Kingdom of Morocco of fishery or aquaculture products intended for human consumption (CFIA/ACIA 5971)

Additional instructions to complete the certificate:

• commercial presentation: the mode of presentation (example: filets, eviscerated, headed)
• type of treatment: live, chilled, frozen, salted, smoked, canned
• expiration date: applies to all products and is mandatory
• country of origin: the fishing/harvest country of the fish and seafood products

Additional documentation requirements

There are different documentation requirements depending on the intended use of the fish and seafood products exported to Morocco.

For fish and seafood products exported to Morocco and intended for local distribution or consumption in Morocco:

• Only a certificate CFIA/ACIA 5971 is required

For fish and seafood products exported to Morocco for temporary admission into Morocco and intended for the processing industry, which will be subsequently exported to European Union (EU) countries:

• The establishment must be listed on the applicable EU list

  and

• In addition to the certificate CFIA/ACIA 5971, an additional form is required to indicate that the products in question have been manufactured in compliance with EU regulations in force.

Additional form:

• Additional Attestations for Fishery or Aquaculture Products for Temporary Admission into Morocco and Intended for the Processing Industry for Export to European Union Countries (CFIA/ACIA FA1015)

It will be extremely important for the exporter to communicate with the importer on the accurate intended use of the shipment. If you are unsure of the intended use, it is recommended that you ensure that the products are sourced from an establishment that appears on the EU list and request for the additional attestations form when submitting an export certification request.