Dried, Salted, or Brined Fish Fillets, Not Smoked (Other Species)

The US tariff schedule uses a 6.8 kg container threshold to distinguish retail-oriented packs from bulk industrial or food-service packs. Herring fillets in containers of 6.8 kg or less classify under 0305392000, while bulk-packed herring fillets fall under 0305396110. This distinction can affect the applicable duty rate, so importers should confirm the net weight per individual container — not the total shipment weight — at the time of entry.

Classification as 'in brine' generally requires that the fish be immersed in or packed with a salt solution as the primary preservation medium. Vacuum-packed mackerel with a light salt rub but no free brine liquid may be considered 'salted' rather than 'in brine,' which can affect both the applicable tariff line and labeling requirements. Importers with borderline preservation methods should seek a binding ruling from CBP to confirm the correct classification.