Frozen Fish Fillets

Commercial invoices and packing lists should include the scientific species name, country of harvest or aquaculture origin, and the name of the processing facility. For species covered by NOAA's Seafood Import Monitoring Program — such as cod, pollock, and grouper — electronic harvest and chain-of-custody data must be filed with CBP at the time of entry. FDA may also request HACCP records from the foreign processor.

When fish are caught in one country and filleted or processed in another, both the country of harvest and the country of processing may need to be disclosed under USDA country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules for retail products. The country of origin for customs duty purposes is generally the country where the fish was harvested, but the processing country may affect eligibility for certain trade programs. Importers should document the full supply chain to satisfy both CBP and COOL requirements.