As a part of the Seafood Export Facilitator (SEF) service we have been talking with industry to find out what you would like additional information on. To make the export process easier to understand our SEFs have been busy recording a range of short videos to help both current and new exporters.
Do you know exactly what you are looking for?
Scroll through the list below to see if we have a video on the topic – if we don’t, send us a quick email to let us know! seafoodexportsupport@agriculture.gov.au. Then have a look at our Exporting Fish and Fish Products from Australia page.
Are you new to the seafood game and don’t know where to start?
We suggest watching all of the videos from top to bottom, we will keep them in a logical order so that they build on one another. Then have a look at our Exporting Fish and Fish Products from Australia page.
Importantly, we need your feedback to ensure that the videos are helpful and cover the right topics. Send us an email and let us know how we can improve them in the future! seafoodexportsupport@agriculture.gov.au
So, you want to export seafood?
Need to know the basics? This is a good place to start. Our SEFs cover everything from the difference between and an exporter and a processor, through to when you need an export permit.
Video uploaded: 17 January 2023
Requirements for being an exporter of seafood are going to be different, depending on whether you're buying and on selling product or manufacturing it yourself and then exporting it.
If you're buying and on selling, you'll require an exporter number so that your company's name appears on the documentation that will accompany the product and identify you as the owner.
You can easily get an export number from the department by completing and submitting a form on our website.
This is the number you'll need to provide to a freight forwarder so they can prepare your export documentation.
You'll also need to provide your freight forwarder with a declaration of compliance from the manufacturer of the goods you're exporting.
This is because the products you want to on sell must be sourced from an export registered establishment.
There's a list of export registered establishments available on the department's website.
This list includes establishments that can store already manufactured goods for export, making sure they remain in the export chain.
If you want to process or store goods for export, this needs to occur in an export registered establishment.
You'll need to apply to the department for this export registration, which can also be done on the department's website, but the requirements are quite different.
You'll need a physical premise that can be registered and a documented system that describes to the department how you prepare or store your goods in such a way
that they will meet the requirements of export legislation. We call this documented system an approved arrangement.
Making sure premises ready for inspection and you have the required documentation is going to take more time than applying for an exporter number and fees and charges will apply.
If you decide you want to manufacture for export. There are some first steps, and this includes determining if your product does in fact need to be prepared in an export registered establishment with an approved arrangement.
For more information on which products need to be prepared in a registered establishment and more information on importing country requirements, check out our video on the difference between prescribed and not prescribed goods.
You can have a look at our step by step guide for exporting fish and fish products on the department's website.
You can speak with your customer or importer, AusTrade or a seafood industry body.
As the seafood export facilitator, I'm able to help you with this.
Just send me an email and I'll point you in the right direction.
When is a fish a fish?
In this video, our SEF talks you through the differences between prescribed fish products and not prescribed fish products. Based on this, the video also touches on which products need to be manufactured in an export registered establishment.
Video uploaded: 17 January 2023
Hi, my name is Lisa, and I'm one of the seafood export facilitators at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
In this short video, I'm going to tell you when your product needs to be prepared in an export registered establishment.
Whether your product needs to be prepared in an export registered estabalishment can depend on a number of factors is the product you're preparing a fish product where
you're intending to send it?
How much of it is there?
What's it going to be used for?
When is it going to be used?
Of course, what I'm talking about here is the difference between a prescribed good and a non prescribed good, so what’s a prescribed good.
The reason for all these different factors is because not all products that are exported from Australia are regulated.
The government determines when regulation is required to maintain trade with other countries.
Regulation ensures that only products that meet the requirements are exported.
Regulation is typically applied to products that can impact human and animal health, and where importing Countries require assurances that the goods are safe.
When certain goods are regulated, we call them prescribed goods.
So, when a fish are fish products prescribed the fish and fish products that are prescribed under the Export Control Act are products for the purpose of food for humans.
Next thing to consider is how much fish is in the food. For fish products to be prescribed, the product must contain more than 50 percent fish by weight.
This means a product such as a fish stock that contains 5% fish by weight, with other ingredients being water and vegetables etcetera wouldn't be considered to be a prescribed Good.
One thing to remember here is that there are rules around what Australia considers to be prescribed. Other countries may consider that a product containing 10% fish is a fish and fish product.
If this is the case, and the importing country requires assurances, the department can certify that product provided it meets the same standards as other prescribed goods.
This includes being manufactured in an export registered establishment.
It's also important to consider quantities of products in the same way that is fish for human consumption that's prescribed doesn't require export certification if it's taken out of Australia and small quantities.
For example, less than 10 kg of fish under 10 litres of fish stock or two kg of dried fish is able to be taken out of Australia as samples, small consignments or for personal use, not including dried abalone, where any quantity requires an export permit.
However, this is an Australian requirement and again the importing country may require certification for any amount.
There are also some circumstances where certification isn't required. These include when the fish has been sent overseas to an Australian territory such as Christmas Island, or when the fish is served as a meal on an aeroplane or a ship leaving Australia.
So, generally speaking, if you're preparing a fish product as human food, you will need to be manufactured and stored in an export registered establishment.
You also need to consider if you're preparing fish product that are not prescribed under Australia’s rules, you may also need to prepare it and export registered establishment to meet importing country requirements.
To find out more about this, you can go online and check out our manual of importing country requirements. We call it MICOR.
It will help you determine whether there are importing country requirements that you need to be aware of, which may impact whether your product is prescribed or not,
It's important to speak to your importer about what certification is required by their government agencies.
You can also check the overseas government web sites or you can speak to our department.
The examples I just provided you are not comprehensive. For all of the Australian government requirements, you can look at our step by step guide for exporting fish and fish products on the department's website.
So, if you're sourcing products to export, this should help you understand if you need to source them from an export registered establishment or if you manufacture fish products if you need to register your premises.
For more information, check out our other videos such as so you want to export seafood.
Exporting your product for a seafood tradeshow or expo
If you are looking to export your products overseas to participate in a seafood tradeshow or expo then there are a few things you need to consider before doing so. You also need to make sure that you allow enough time to go through the process! Click below to hear one of our SEFs tell you everything you need to know.
Video uploaded: 17 January 2023
Hi, my name is Lisa, and I'm one of the Seafood Export Facilitators at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
In this video, I'm going to tell you about the requirements you may need to consider if you're intending to supply seafood products to an overseas trade show or expo.
This will also apply if you're considering sending a sample shipment to a new customer or to a new destination.
Question appeared in the video: I want to send some seafood samples to an international seafood expo, what do I need to know?
Well, first of all, are you the exporter or are you the manufacturer of the product or are you both?
What I mean by this is the exporter is the person arranging to send the sample, not necessarily the person who will be producing the product.
This matters because whether or not you can get the product into a particular country comes down to how the product was sourced and how it is prepared for export by the manufacturer.
Question appeared in the video: I’m an exporter, what do I need to know about the product I am intending to send over for the expo?
The first thing you need to consider is that some seafood products, regardless of where they are being exported to, will require an export permit to leave Australia.
Question appeared in the video: What needs an export permit, and what doesn’t?
Generally speaking, all fish and fish products that are intended for human consumption as food in the importing country will require an export permit.
These are the kinds of products we would call prescribed fish products. So, obviously this doesn't include fish products that are intended to be fed to livestock or pets.
Fish products which are not prescribed, which means they do not need an export permit, include fish products that contain less than 50% fish by weight.
For example, a fish stock or an encapsulated fish product such as a fish oil capsule you would take for health reasons rather than eating as a meal.
All fish product that is going to be eaten as food are going to need an export permit to leave Australia.
Question appeared in the video: How do I get an export permit for my product?
Well, you need to make sure that the product you intend to send is eligible for an export permit.
The department can only issue export permits for fish products when they have been prepared in an export registered establishment and have remained in the export chain until they are exported.
Question appeared in the video: I didn’t manufacture these products, how do I know what they were manufactured in an export registered establishment?
This is information that you'll need to get from the manufacturer who will also need to provide you with the declaration that that product meets Australia's export requirements.
This is in the form of a declaration that you will need to have to make an application for an export permit.
Question appeared in the video: I only have a small amount of product, do I still need an export permit?
Small amounts of prescribed fish products can be taken out of Australia without an export permit if they are less than 10 kg of fish, 10 litres of liquid fish or two kg of dried fish unless it's dried abalone, in which case any amount requires an export permit.
In fact, these small amounts are not even required to be prepared in an export registered establishment.
What you do need to remember is that an export permit is about getting permission for the product to leave Australia.
Some countries require a government certificate for any quantity of fish to enter their country, and this may include fish products that Australia would consider as not prescribed.
Question appeared in the video: How do I find out if I need a government certificate, and if I do need one how do I get it?
The country hosting the trade show or where you are sending your samples may be willing to accept small quantities of fish products as trade samples without a government certificate.
However, requirements for an export permit to leave Australia will not change if a government certificate is required. This will be issued by the department. After you applied for and been issued an export permit, you can check our manual of importing country requirements, we call it MICOR on the Department's website for any specific importing country requirements.
This could include things like where a consignment needs to be accompanied by additional government documentation, or whether or not the importing country will accept all species of fish or just some species of fish.
Question appeared in the video: Is it difficult to export to countries with additional requirements if this is the first time I will have done so.
This depends on what the additional requirements are. These requirements can vary from the manufacturing establishment having to be country listed prior to preparing the product through to simply checking in MICOR to determine which government certificate is required to accompany the product.
Because importing country requirements vary, you need to be aware of the details when planning to attend a trade show, because there may be activities that you need to undertake additional documentation you need to prepare or information that you need to confirm to ensure your sample meets the requirements for export from Australia and importing country requirements into the destination country.
Some of these activities, such as adding a country listing to an existing registered establishment, can take some time. You must factor this in, or you will not get the required documentation in time to get your product or samples to the trade show.
Now, I know this is a lot of information to take in so a few key points to take away are an export permit may be required for your sample to leave Australia. The importing country may have additional requirements that you need to meet.
A good place to start is with your customer or if you're attending a trade show, you can speak to the organisers about arrangements for shipping your sample of product.
Then it's always a good idea to check MICOR and find out if there are any other specific requirements.
You need to be aware of some of the other resources you have available to you.
Our Seafood Industry Australia, Austrade and, of course, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
As the Seafood Export Facilitator, I'm able to help you with this. Just send me an email and I'll point you in the right direction.
Finally, you need to make sure that you allow yourself plenty of time to go through this process as it can take some time.
Other resources
The department offers a free Seafood Exporter Facilitator (SEF) service. The SEF provides one-on-one support to existing export registered establishments as well as potential exporters that are seeking to become export registered. To find out how to contact the SEF check out our Seafood Export Facilitator service webpage.
Video uploaded: 17 January 2023
Hi, my name is Lisa, and I'm one of the seafood export facilitators at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
I've worked in the seafood industry for most of my career, and I've spent time on fishing vessels in seafood processing establishments, delivering seafood HACCP training and working in the state and commonwealth governments.
As a seafood export facilitator, I can provide advice and support to help you export seafood products overseas.
I can help you with understanding documentation and registration, getting new exporters on the front foot and helping existing exporters to understand new and changing importing country requirements.
Our short videos. step you through a number of frequently asked questions.
If you'd like some support or to suggest video topics, I'm able to help you with this.
Just send me an email and I'll point you in the right direction.
Email address: SeafoodExportSupport@aff.gov.au