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HSChapter 16
U.S. imports of lobster, prepared or preserved (HS 160530) totaled $1.6M in April 2026, traded with 8 countries.
Importers of Lobster, Prepared or Preserved paid $35K in duties in April 2026 — an effective duty rate of 11% on $320K in dutiable value, based on actual customs collections rather than the published tariff schedule. Lobster, Prepared or Preserved imports of $1.6M in April 2026 ran 73% below the year-to-date monthly average of $5.7M.
Last updated: April 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.
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.
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Monthly import values over time
| Country | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| CANADA | $1.2M | $23K | -$1.2M |
| JAPAN | $234K | -- | -$234K |
| INDONESIA | $53K | -- | -$53K |
| SPAIN | $21K | -- | -$21K |
| GUADELOUPE | -- | $13K | +$13K |
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Import Value | Effective Tariff % | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1605301030 | LOBSTER MEAT COOKD BY WATER & OUT OF SHELL NT FRZN | $614K | -- | -- |
| 1605301090 | LOBSTER PREPARED OR PRESERVED, NESOI | $502K | 10.00% | $24K |
| 1605301010 | LOBSTER MEAT COOKD BY WATER & OUT OF SHELL, FROZEN | $411K | 10.00% | $5K |
| 1605300590 | LOBSTER PRODUCTS WTH FISH MEAT/PREPARD MEALS NESOI | $21K | 20.00% | $4K |
| 1605300510 | LOBSTER PRODTS WTH FISH MEAT/PREP MEAL AIRTIT CNTR | $4K | 19.99% | $802 |
| 1605301050 | LOBSTER PREP/PRESERVD NESOI, IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER | $0 | -- | -- |
LOBSTER MEAT COOKD BY WATER & OUT OF SHELL NT FRZN
LOBSTER PREPARED OR PRESERVED, NESOI
LOBSTER MEAT COOKD BY WATER & OUT OF SHELL, FROZEN
LOBSTER PRODUCTS WTH FISH MEAT/PREPARD MEALS NESOI
LOBSTER PRODTS WTH FISH MEAT/PREP MEAL AIRTIT CNTR
LOBSTER PREP/PRESERVD NESOI, IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1605301040 | LOBSTER, PREPARED OR PRESERVED, NESOI | $73K |
| 1605300500 | LOBSTER PRODUCTS WITH FISH MEAT; PREPARED MEALS | $0 |
| 1605301020 | LOBSTER, IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS | $0 |
LOBSTER, PREPARED OR PRESERVED, NESOI
3.6K kg
LOBSTER PRODUCTS WITH FISH MEAT; PREPARED MEALS
LOBSTER, IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS
TUNAS, SKIPJACK TUNA AND BONITO, PREP OR PRESERVED
HS 160414
SHRIMP & PRAWNS PREP/PRESERVED NOT AIRTIGHT CONTNR
HS 160521
PREPARED OR PRESERVED BOVINE MEAT ETC. NESOI
HS 160250
CRAB, PREPARED OR PRESERVED
HS 160510
PREPARED OR PRESERVED CHICKEN MEAT OR OFFAL, NESOI
HS 160232
SALMON, PREPARED OR PRESERVED, WHOLE OR PIECES
HS 160411
| State | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $1.1M | $21K | -$1.1M |
| New Jersey | $228K | -- | -$228K |
| California | $74K | -- | -$74K |
| Port | Imports | Exports | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| CALAIS, ME | $1.1M | -- | -$1.1M |
| HOULTON, ME | $171K | -- | -$171K |
| NEWARK, NJ | $138K | -- | -$138K |