Date of issue: 4 November 2024
Date of effect: Immediate
Related MAAs: n/a
Attention:
- Industries—Industry bodies – Seafood Export Consultative Committee, Seafood Trade Advisory Group, Seafood Industry Australia
- Export Registered establishments
- Exporters, Automated Export Permit Issuers (AEPI) and NEXDOC users
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) — Central and regional offices
Purpose:
This Market Access Advice (MAA) is to inform industry of the new requirement for establishments to be listed with Chinese authorities if exporting viable (live) edible aquatic animals to China.
Note: this list is separate to the China Import Food Enterprise Registration (CIFER) listings for non-viable (not live) edible fish and fish products. Establishments that are already listed in CIFER and also export live must be included in this new listing process.
Summary of key points
On 10 September 2024, the department received a letter from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) formally advising of new export listing requirements for establishments that pack and export live seafood, including crustaceans, gastropods, fin-fish and bivalve molluscs to China.
The listing is required to comply with the Law of the People's Republic of China on the entry and exit animal and plant quarantine and its implementing regulations.
The department has provided GACC with a list of establishments able to export live seafood, based on the department’s export data, to maintain trade. A copy of this list is attached to this MAA.
Maintaining the export establishment list with GACC
It is important that each establishment check the information on the attached list to make sure that it is current, accurate, and consistent with the information on the certification issued for each consignment. This includes the species and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Major Fishing Area zones. For FAO zone codes, refer to this website: FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department.
The edible aquatic species eligible for export from Australia to China are provided in Table 1 (below). The scientific names and standard names are included. Exporters can also refer to the Australian Fish Names Standard (AS 5300—2019) if unsure of the scientific name used for their product.
Table 1: The list of edible aquatic animals eligible for export from Australia to China.
| Product type | Scientific name | Scientific name | Standard Name | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Crustaceans | 馒头蟹属 | Calappa | Box Crab (not a commercial species) |
| 查氏蟹属 | Chaceon | Crystal Crabs | ||
| 雪蟹属 | Chionoecetes | Snow Crab (Northern Hemisphere) | ||
| 深海蟹属 | Hypothalassia | Champagne Crabs | ||
| 岩龙虾属 | Jasus | Southern Rock Lobster | ||
| 龙虾属 | Panulirus | Eastern, Western, Tropical and Ornate Rock Lobsters | ||
| 拟滨蟹属 | Pseudocarcinus | Giant Crabs | ||
| 蛙蟹属 | Ranina | Spanner Crabs | ||
| 青蟹属 | Scylla | Mud Crabs | ||
| 滑鳌虾属 | Cherax | Yabbies, Marron, Redclaw | ||
| Bi-valve Molluscs | 扇贝属 | Pecten | Commercial Scallops | |
| 小牡蛎属 | Saccostrea | Sydney Rock Oyster | ||
| 巨蛎属 | Crassostrea | Pacific Oyster | ||
| 牡蛎属 | Ostrea | Native Oyster | ||
| 贻贝属 | Mytilus | Blue Mussels | ||
| Gastropods | 蝾螺属 | Turbo | Green, Smooth Turban Shell | |
| 鲍属 | Haliotis | Abalone | ||
| Fin-fish | 石斑鱼属 | Epinephelus | Groupers | |
| 鳃棘鲈属 | Plectropomus | Coral Trout | ||
| 鳗鲡属 | Anguilla | Longfin and Shortfin Eels | ||
| 麦鳕鲈属 | Maccullochella | Murray Cod (aquaculture) |
If there any changes are required to your establishment listing details, please contact the department at dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au.
Updates to Australia’s list of establishments exporting live edible aquatic animals to China will be made via the department.
Species for export
The department has listed the scientific name against each establishment based on historical trade. Caution should be taken if exporting a new species. The department encourages all exporters to work with their importer to ensure that product meets the current importing country requirements.
Distressed and detained consignments
The department understands that exports can continue without disruption during the registration process. However, the department cautions establishments exporting to China prior to publication of the establishment list on the GACC website as consignments could be detained.
The list will be published in the form of a searchable list: Quarantine Registration List of Overseas Animals and Plants and Relevant Products. GACC has not indicated when the list will be published.
If you encounter issues at the border related to the live edible aquatic animals listing with China, please contact the department at dairyeggsfish@aff.gov.au. Exporters will need to provide the request for export (REX) number, the import permit number with issue date, the health certificate number and the name of the port the shipment is being held.
Live rock lobster exports
This MAA does not mean exporters can now recommence live rock lobster exports to China. However, it is essential all live rock lobster export establishments are listed correctly to be ready to resume trade.
Further information
The information provided above is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.
Contact ExportStandards@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.
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