U.S. imports of Lobster, Prepared or Preserved (HS 160530) totaled $45.7M in August 2026, imported from 9 countries.
Importers of Lobster, Prepared or Preserved paid $40K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 0.09% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Lobster, Prepared or Preserved imports of $45.7M in August 2026 ran 32% above the year-to-date monthly average of $34.7M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataCanada is the dominant US supplier of prepared and preserved lobster, a natural consequence of its proximity and the scale of Atlantic Canada's lobster fishery, though Japan, Indonesia, and Spain also appear among leading sources — reflecting both re-export trade and spiny lobster processing outside North America. The US tariff schedule under this heading distinguishes products with fish meat or prepared meals (1605300500 series), water-cooked out-of-shell meat in frozen and non-frozen forms (1605301010 and 1605301030), airtight-container formats (1605301020 and 1605301050), and other preserved presentations (1605301040 and 1605301090). FDA governs admissibility, and importers should note that the "cooked by water and out of shell" lines require accurate processing-method documentation to avoid misclassification into the broader NESOI lines. Seasonality in the Atlantic lobster harvest can create supply-chain timing pressures for processors sourcing raw material before the peak canning season.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
319 import shipments a month
Lines 1605301010 (frozen) and 1605301030 (not frozen) specifically require that the lobster meat be cooked by water (boiled or steamed) and removed from the shell. Lobster prepared by other cooking methods, or product that remains in-shell, would fall into the NESOI lines (1605301040 or 1605301090). Suppliers should provide processing certificates or production records confirming the cooking method to support the correct classification.
Products that contain fish meat as an ingredient alongside lobster, or that constitute prepared meals, are directed to the 1605300500 series (with sub-lines for airtight and non-airtight formats) rather than the pure lobster lines. This distinction matters because the fish-meat lines may carry different duty rates, and the presence of fish meat can also affect FDA labeling requirements for allergen and species disclosure.
Trade Directory
List your company under HS 160530 — Lobster, Prepared or Preserved, so the companies trading it can find you. Be the first supplier listed.
Subheading 3 of 18 in heading 1605
Subheading 160530 · $45.7M of $310.9M
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1605301010 | Lobster Meat Cookd by Water & Out of Shell, Frozen | $38.7M | 0.0012% | 0.0099% | $477 |
| 1605301030 | Lobster Meat Cookd by Water & Out of Shell Nt Frzn | $2.9M | 0.00% | 0.00% | -- |
| 1605301090 | Lobster Prepared or Preserved, NESOI | $2.0M | 1.92% | 15.35% | $38K |
| 1605301050 | Lobster Prep/Preservd NESOI, In Airtight Container | $1.9M | 0.00% | 0.00% | -- |
| 1605300590 | Lobster Products Wth Fish Meat/Prepard Meals NESOI | $95K | 1.73% | 17.33% | $2K |
| 1605300510 | Lobster Prodts Wth Fish Meat/Prep Meal Airtit Cntr | $3K | 9.98% | 100.00% | $266 |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1605301040 | Lobster, Prepared or Preserved, NESOI | $102K |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
ImportsExports
Imports
$45.7MYoY · free account
Exports
$102KYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $411.0M of Lobster, Prepared or Preserved and exported $8.2M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Canada and Japan together supply 100% of it. Japan pays 12.5% duty; Canada 0.0%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
99.3% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 0.09% of imports for consumption.