Importing Fish

Importing live fish and shellfish
What you need to do to import live fish, molluscs and crustaceans (shellfish): authorisation and health certificates

Authorisation to Import Live fish
To import fish or shellfish you need to be authorised by FHI.
Application to become an aquaculture production business (APB) to import live fish and shellfish into England and Wales
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-become-authorised-to-import-live-fish-and-shellfish-form-aah2

You need to be authorised to import live fish and shellfish for:

  • ornamental purposes
  • farming
  • human consumption
  • scientific research
  • ‘put and take’ fisheries (where catches can be taken home)
  • public aquariums and zoos
  • spas and medical use (nibble fish)

Fish and shellfish for human consumption
More rules apply to import fish and shellfish for human consumption ― find out about importing and exporting food, fishery products and molluscs, and the public health requirements. https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/imports-exports

Non-native species
There are additional rules for non-native species of fish, crayfish and lobsters. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/introduce-or-keep-non-native-fish-and-shellfish

Ornamental coldwater fish
If you import ornamental coldwater fish like koi, you need to include a biosecurity measures plan outlining how you deal with fish health and disease.
Importer biosecurity measures plan (PDF, 193KB, 36 pages) 

Endangered species
You need a permit to import any species covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITIES) list.(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/endangered-species-application-for-import-and-export-permit)

Health certificate for imports from the EU
You need a health certificate to import fish, molluscs or crustacea from the EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) if they:

  • are at risk of controlled diseases (serious diseases not usually found in the UK)
  • carry controlled diseases

You must notify the FHI at least 24 hours before importing fish and shellfish and must fill in a form for each import.
Notification to import live fish and shellfish into England and Wales from another EU territory
You also need a health certificate from the country of origin for imports from:

  • the Isle of Man
  • Northern Ireland
  • Jersey
  • Guernsey

Health certificates for imports from outside the EU
All fish, molluscs or crustacea you import from outside the EU (or from non-EFTA countries) need to have a health certificate issued by the country of origin.
Health certificates are examined by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at a border inspection post. You may need to pay for this service.
You must submit the Common veterinary entry document (CVED) (PDF, 66.7KB, 1 page) to APHA at least 2 days before the fish or shellfish arrive. 

Problems with documentation

Species susceptible to controlled disease
If there are errors on the documentation for fish or shellfish susceptible to a controlled disease you may be given a ‘Regulation 23’ notice. If the health risk to other fish is low, the fish or shellfish can enter the country while errors are corrected.

To prevent the introduction or spread of disease, these fish or shellfish must be isolated at an approved site. APHA will have a list of these and will work with the importer. The site must have separate equipment and procedures and stock must stay there until the error is corrected and the notice is released.

If the errors can’t be corrected FHI may test the consignment for disease. This requires a minimum of 30 animals and the test results can take up to 3 weeks.

Species not susceptible to controlled disease
If there are errors and the fish or shellfish aren’t susceptible to controlled disease you may be given a ‘Regulation 16’ notice.
This means errors need to be corrected but the fish don’t need to be isolated. 

Export live fish and shellfish for aquaculture and ornamental
Check if you need a certificate to export live fish, molluscs, crustaceans and amphibia for aquaculture and ornamental purposes. 

Apply for an export health certificate
You apply for an export animal health certificate by submitting an export notification at least 5 working days before you export.
The form you fill in depends on whether you’re exporting from:

You’ll get a certificate when your application is approved. If required by the destination country:

  • your goods will be inspected first
  • for EU movements, a TRACES notification will be made for you

Attach the certificate to your consignment. ( see attached) 

Exporting within or outside the EU

Within the EU or to Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland
Check with the Competent Authority for aquatic animal health in the destination country to find out if you need an export animal health certificate.
If you need a certificate, apply to your Fish Health Inspectorate, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/export-live-fish-and-shellfish-for-aquaculture-and-ornamental#contacts who will also advise you whether the certification requirements can be met.  

Outside the EU
If your goods are not being used as food, check with the Competent Authority for aquatic animal health in the destination country (or their embassy in the UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk ) to find out what documentation you need. If you need a certificate, apply to your Fish Health Inspectorate, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/export-live-fish-and-shellfish-for-aquaculture-and-ornamental#contacts  who will also advise you whether the certification requirements can be met.

Endangered fish and shellfish
Use the Species+tool https://www.speciesplus.net/ to search for your fish or shellfish. Check which annex (A, B, C or D) it’s classified as under EU wildlife trade regulations.
What you need to do depends on whether you’re exporting within the EU or outside the EU.
If Species+ says the fish or shellfish is banned, you cannot export the product.

Within the EU
If the fish or shellfish is classed as B, C or D, you do not need to do anything. If it’s classed as Annex A, you must apply for an Article 10 certificate. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cites-imports-and-exports.
You do not need any special documents if you’re using or displaying goods for non-commercial reasons, for example scientific research or in an educational display.

Apply for an Article 10 certificate
Fill in either:

You can use the guidance notes https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790377/guid-fed1012.pdf (PDF, 606KB, 15 pages) to help you. 
Email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or post it to the Centre for International Trade Bristol. Include any supporting documents that show you acquired the product legally, for example:

  • a copy of the import permit
  • a previous Article 10 certificate (use the yellow copy)The certificate costs £31.

You should get your certificate within 15 working days. 

Outside the EU
If it’s classed as A, B or C, you need a CITES export permit. If it’s classed as D, check the animal’s CITES listing in the Species+ tool. If it’s in Appendix III, you’ll need a CITES export permit. Otherwise you do not need to do anything.

Apply for a CITES permit (https://www.cites.org/)
Fill in either:

Use the guidance notes (PDF, 739KB, 13 pages) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790375/guid-fed0172.pdf if you need help.
If you’re re-exporting goods include a CITES import permit to prove it legally entered the EU. Email or post the completed form to the Centre for International Trade Bristol.
A permit costs £63 (or £37 to re-export). You should receive it within 15 working days.
If you’re exporting as part of conservation work, you might be able to get a fee waiver through:

You can use the guidance notes (PDF, 290KB, 2 pages) if you’re unsure how to fill it in. 

Regular exports for public exhibition
If you regularly take fish or shellfish abroad for a short period of time for public exhibitions, you could use a travelling exhibition certificate (PDF, 2.71MB, 208 pages) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790380/referenceguide_en_wildlife.pdf  instead of a CITES permit. You’ll need to follow the usual rules for exporting fish.

You can use the certificate whether you’re moving goods within or outside the EU. You can add multiple specimen types in one application. It’s valid for 3 years.

To apply, fill in form FED0173 (PDF, 64.4KB, 2 pages) . https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/790369/form-fed0173.pdf

Post or email the completed form to the APHA Centre for International Trade Bristol. (https://www.cites.org/eng/cms/index.php/component/cp/country/GB )You’ll get your certificate within 15 working days and there’s no fee. 

Importing fishery products or bivalve molluscs
Guidance on safely importing fishery products or bivalve molluscs into the UK from non-EU countries, controls at point of entry and information on identification marking.
There are strict rules for the commercial import from outside the European Union (EU) of fishery products, bivalve molluscs and products that contain them.

The following organisms are defined as fishery products:

  • crustaceans - prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs and shrimps
  • cephalopods – octopus, squid and cuttlefish
  • aquaculture products – farmed salmon, trout, prawns, shrimps
  • fish oils – for human consumption
  • Tunicates - sea squirts
  • Echinoderms - sea urchins and sea cucumbers
  • Gastropods - whelks, winkles and abalone

Bivalve molluscs are oysters, mussels, clams, cockles and scallops.
Bivalve molluscs are filter feeders, which means they are at risk of ingesting dangerous bacteria. Because of this risk these species can only be commercially harvested from approved production areas. These areas are monitored to ensure they meet the toxin and microbiological criteria Council Regulation 852/2004 (Opens in a new window)  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal content/EN/TXT/?qid=1554285682143&uri=CELEX:02004R0852-20090420

If you are importing a product of animal origin (including fishery products and bivalve molluscs) you should check that the exporting country and establishment is authorised. 

Imports from approved non-EU countries
Imports must meet the following conditions:

  • come from an approved non-EU country
  • be accompanied by appropriate signed health certification
  • come from EU-approved fishery product establishment, premises or approved bivalve mollusc production areas
  • enter the EU through an officially designated Border Inspection Post (BIP) where veterinary/hygiene checks are carried out by an Official Fish Inspector
  • all consignments must be pre-notified to the BIP prior to arrival
  • public health conditions for the production and placing on the market of fishery products and bivalve molluscs are outlined in

Some approved non-EU countries are only allowed to export either fishery products or bivalve molluscs. It is therefore important to know under which category your product falls see 2006/766/EC

Imports of fishery products from non-EU countries
When importing fishery products from outside of the EU, you must check the country is approved. The EU Commission decides whether each non-EU country meets the required hygiene standards to ensure produce can enter Europe. Approved countries must adhere to the conditions set by the EU Commission.
For a list of non-EU countries with approved establishments or bivalve mollusc production areas see 2006/766/EC

Controls at point of entry into the UK from non-EU countries
When bringing goods into the EU from outside it importers must notify the border inspection port beforehand. Imports arriving from countries outside the EU are subject to veterinary checks, this includes documentary, identity and physical checks at the border inspection port.
A charge will be made for all mandatory random checks required by EU legislation, which the importer must pay. Failure to comply with regulations may result in goods being returned to the non-EU country or destroyed - at the cost of the importer. 

Bivalve molluscs
In Regulation 853/2004 (Opens in a new window) bivalve molluscs are defined as filter feeding lamellibranch molluscs. These products are filter feeders which means they are at risk of ingesting dangerous bacteria. If humans eat these fish products carrying dangerous bacteria, it could be dangerous to their health.
Because of this risk these species can only be commercially harvested from approved production areas. which are monitored to ensure they meet the toxin and microbiological criteria.
If your importing products of animal origin, you should check that the exporting country is authorised.

Identification marking
Under Regulation 853/2004, (Opens in a new window) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:139:0055:0205:en:PDF it is a requirement that consignments of fishery products and bivalve molluscs display an identification mark in accordance with Annex II, which applies to most products of animal origin

It is the responsibility of food business operators in the UK to ensure that products from other Member States do not pose a health risk to the public. The destination food business operator (the UK-based food premises), at its own discretion, will carry out a system of own checks under a predefined HACCP (food safety management) plan to meet required hygiene standards.

Illegal fishing
Fish imposts from outside the EU are subject to new rules under the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Imposts require certification detailing when the fish was caught and that the vessel was acting legally. For further information please see the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs

Imports of scallops from the United States
Imports of live, frozen or processed bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods for human consumption from the United States are not permitted.
However, food business operators may import the adductor muscle from pectinidae (scallops) of non-aquaculture origin, completely separated from the viscera and gonads.  

Legislation on fish imports
FIN 20/2008 Import requirements for bulk consignments of fish oil, glucosamine, chondroitin and chitosan. This concerns bulk imposts of fish oil, glucosamine, chondroitin and chitosan and lays out the measures that must be taken when importing these into the EU from a third party country.

2006/766/EC (Opens in a new window) Establishing the lists of third countries and territories from which imposts of bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates, marine gastropods and fishery products are permitted

Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/compositeproductsqanda.pdf

Step-by-Step Guide From Approved Non- EU Countries
https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/fishery-products-guide-jan-2015.pdf