FDA requires that foreign seafood processors, including aquaculture operations, maintain HACCP plans and that importers verify supplier compliance through supplier verification programs under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). FDA may conduct port-of-entry examinations, collect samples for laboratory analysis, and place shipments on import alert if a foreign facility has a history of violations. Consult a licensed customs broker or FDA-registered food facility advisor for current compliance requirements.

The HTS and US trade statistics distinguish aquaculture-raised fish from wild-capture fish primarily by production method, which affects both the applicable tariff line and country-of-origin labeling requirements under COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) rules. For certain species like catfish, USDA FSIS — not FDA — has inspection authority over processed catfish products, adding an additional regulatory layer that does not apply to most other farmed fish.