Procedures for importing fresh seafood

To import fresh seafood, carrying out the procedure to request a food safety certificate is an indispensable procedure. It can be said that regulations on importing fresh seafood are very strict. The article below provides information about Procedures for importing fresh seafood.

1. Importing fresh seafood does not require a permit

     Live seafood used as food is included in the List of live seafood used as food permitted for normal import (Appendix 5 issued with Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BNNPTNT) when importing seafood. Fresh produce traders carry out import procedures at customs offices.

2. Importing fresh seafood requires a permit

        Traders importing aquatic species not on the List specified in Clause 1 of this Article for use as food must have a risk assessment performed by the Directorate of Fisheries (applicable to first-time imported shipments). Consider licensing fresh seafood imports and approve the Plan for management and supervision of imported shipments.

3. Application for licensing to import fresh seafood

• Application for license to import fresh seafood according to Form No. 03/TS issued with Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BNNPTNT
• Copy of Business Registration Certificate or Investment Certificate (only submitted for the first time)
• Photos or drawings describing the aquatic species requested for import license, accompanied by commercial names and scientific names
• Explanation of biological characteristics of aquatic species requested for license to import fresh seafood according to Form No. 05/TS issued with Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BNNPTNT
• Certificate of origin of the aquatic species requested for import license issued by the competent authority of the exporting country. This document is a photocopy and bring the original for comparison in case of direct application; or a certified copy in case the application is submitted by post and accompanied by one (01) notarized translation into Vietnamese
• Plan for management and supervision of live seafood from import of fresh seafood, transportation, preservation, storage, processing to consumption according to Form 06/TS issued with Circular No. 04/2015/TT -MNNPTNT.

4. Order and procedures for importing fresh seafood

• Traders requesting a license to import live aquatic products shall send documents as prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article to the Directorate of Fisheries.
• In case of submitting a dossier to import fresh seafood directly, the Directorate of Fisheries receives the dossier and immediately instructs the trader to supplement missing or incorrect content. In case of receiving the dossier by post, within 03 (three) working days from the date of receiving the dossier, the Directorate of Fisheries will respond in writing and clearly state the contents that need to be edited and supplemented ( if any).
• In case the fresh seafood import dossier is complete according to regulations, for aquatic species that have not been risk assessed, within 12 (twelve) working days, the Directorate of Fisheries will establish a Risk Assessment Council. risks and perform risk assessments. The Council concluded and recommended that risk management measures must be implemented for live aquatic species that are not likely to become harmful, invasive or at risk of invasion, and are eligible for import as food.
• Within 03 (three) working days from the conclusion of the Risk Assessment Council, the Directorate of Fisheries will consider licensing the import of fresh seafood (according to Form No. 04/TS issued with the Circular). Circular) and at the same time approve the Plan for management and supervision of shipments for aquatic species that are not at risk of invasiveness and are eligible for import for use as food (according to Form No. 06/TS issued with the Circular). This).
• Subsequent imports of live seafood for use as food have had a risk assessment conclusion of no invasive risk and are eligible for import for use as food, within 3 (three) days. working days, from the date of receipt of complete documents as prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article, the Directorate of Fisheries shall consider and approve the Plan for management and supervision of live seafood shipments and issue licenses to import fresh seafood.
• Traders are allowed to import live seafood for use as food immediately after obtaining a Fresh Seafood Import License from the Directorate of Fisheries.
• In case of not granting an import license, the Directorate of Fisheries shall notify in writing the trader requesting import and clearly state the reason.
• The Directorate of Fisheries updates and promulgates the List of live aquatic products that have been assessed for risk, publicly announced on the website of the Directorate of Fisheries and reported to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
• The license to import fresh seafood and the Plan for management and supervision of imported live seafood shipments for use as food are issued by the Directorate of Fisheries to traders registering to import, and at the same time sent to the aquaculture management agency. Local aquaculture plants have imported shipments to organize and supervise.
• Validity period of the license: The license to import live aquatic animals used as food is valid for the entire shipment and the validity is stated in the license for each breed and species of live aquatic animals but must not exceed 01 year from the date of issuance. Date Range.