United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) – Export requirements for fish and seafood
Notice
Export requirements for Northern Ireland are different from those of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Distinct requirements are as follows:
- Northern Ireland: see export requirements and certificates for the European Union (EU)
On this page United Kingdom (UK) also includes Channel Islands and Isle of Man
On this page
- Eligible/ineligible product
- Pre-export approvals by competent authority of importing country
- Product specifications
- Production controls and inspection requirements
- Labelling, packaging and marking requirements
- Documentation requirements
- Other information
Eligible/ineligible product
Eligible
- All fish and seafood products
Pre-export approvals by competent authority of importing country
Establishments
- Establishments must appear on the appropriate establishment list administered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The establishments must fulfill the relevant provisions of the following legislation and associated legislation for Animal Products:
- Retained Regulation 625/2019
- Retained Regulation 853/2004 – Article 6 & Annex III
- The list pertinent to fish and seafood is available on the United Kingdom website for establishments approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain. Under Data links, please select List of establishments in non-EU countries approved to export animal products to GB - Updated 17 October 2022. Please sort by:
- Country name "CA_Canada"
- Sector "food"
- Section "Section VII Live bivalve molluscs" and/or "Section VIII Fishery products"
- Cold storage warehouses storing and handling fish and seafood products as part of the supply chain for export to the Great Britain are also required to be on the appropriate lists for Great Britain.
Note: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has added the letter "F" as a suffix to the registration number of certain registered fish processing establishments appearing on the list of Canadian exporters approved for Great Britain. This was necessary because these fish processing establishments shared the same registration number with other Canadian establishments appearing on lists of establishments approved to export other commodities, such as dairy products, to the Great Britain. This suffix was added only for the purpose of maintaining the list. Exporters can maintain their label as is and do not need to add the "F" to the information recorded on the certificate.
Procedure to update the Great Britain approval lists
- Establishments wishing to be added to the Great Britain approval list must be in compliance with Canadian regulations.
- Cold storage warehouses are subject to Preventive control plan (PCP) requirements.
- To request inclusion on the Great Britain approval list, please submit the following information to your local CFIA office:
- unique establishment identifier
- Safe Food for Canadians licence number
- full legal name as it appears on the Safe Food for Canadians licence
- physical site address associated with the unique establishment identifier as it appears on the Safe Food for Canadians licence
- applicable establishment type(s):
- PP – Processing Plant (Live Bivalve Molluscs, Fishery Products)
- FV – Factory Vessel (Live Bivalve Molluscs, Fishery Products)
- CS – Cold Storage (Fishery Products)
- IP – Dispatch Centre (Live Bivalve Molluscs)
- Z – Production Areas (Live Bivalve Molluscs)
- if the products to be exported include any aquacultured material, a remark of "Aq" must be indicated
- name of the Great Britain approval list(s) you are requesting inclusion on
- factory vessels must also provide the following information:
- vessel name
- IMO number
- national registration number
Note: All additions, amendments and deletions will be forwarded to Great Britain for approval. If an establishment currently included on any Great Britain approval list undergoes a name change and/or a registration number change, the documentation and labelling must identify the old registration or export licence number and legal name, as recorded on the Great Britain approval list, until such time as the list is officially amended.
Product specifications
For the requirements, please refer to the "Product specifications" section on the EU fish and seafood Export requirements library page.
Production controls and inspection requirements
For the requirements, please refer to the "Production controls and inspection requirements" section on the EU fish and seafood Export requirements library page.
Labelling, packaging and marking requirements
For the requirements, please refer to the "Labelling, packaging and marking requirements" section on the EU fish and seafood Export requirements library page.
Documentation requirements
Canadian exporters should ensure that their products are accompanied by the proper documentation prior to being exported from Canada to the UK if transshipped via another country, including via the EU.
Certificate
- For fishery products intended for human consumption:
Official certificate for the placing on the market of fishery products GBHC080X (Official certificate to Great Britain, Channel Islands and Isle of Man)
Form (CFIA/ACIA 5943)
- For live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods intended for human consumption:
Health certificate for live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods GBHC053X (Official certificate to Great Britain, Channel Islands and Isle of Man)
Form (CFIA/ACIA 5944)
Other information
Exported products transiting through a country may require transit documentation. It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure that the shipment will be accompanied by all necessary certificates. Please work closely with your importer.
- Date modified: