Fresh or Chilled Fish Livers, Roes, and Milt

Fish livers, roes, and milt — including premium products such as mullet bottarga and cod roe — occupy a distinct heading from whole fish, reflecting their separate commercial and culinary markets. Norway and Japan are the leading suppliers, consistent with their roles as major producers of cod liver and high-grade roe products respectively. The US schedule separates mullet roe (0302914010) from other livers and roes (0302914090 and 0302915000), a distinction relevant to importers of bottarga and similar specialty products. All fresh fish roe and liver imports require FDA prior notice and are subject to seafood HACCP regulations; importers of caviar-adjacent products should also verify whether CITES documentation applies to the source species.