Exporting and importing fish if there’s no Brexit deal

Prepare for rules and processes for exporting and importing wild-caught marine fish if we leave the EU with no deal.

The MMO and Defra have just published the rules and procedures which will be faced by those wishing to export fish from the UK post March 30th 2019.


Marine Management Organisation and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Contents

• Exporting fish to the EU from 30 March 2019
• Catch certificate
• Export health certificate
• Direct landing documents
• Storage document - for fish stored in the UK but not processed
• Processing statement - for fish processed in the UK
• Method of transport
• Exporting fish to non-EU countries
• Importing fish from the EU from 30 March 2019
• Exporting fish to the EU from 30 March 2019
• To export wild-caught marine fish to the EU if there’s no Brexit deal you’ll need :
• a catch certificate
• an export health certificate, except for direct landings from UK-flagged fishing vessels

You may also need:

• a prior notification form
• a pre-landing declaration
• a storage document
• a processing statement

The EU uses these documents to monitor fishing activity and to detect illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

You’ll need to create these documents using forms on GOV.UK. This page will include guidance on how to create the documents and a helpline number before the end of March.

New rules will apply to:

• exports to the EU of fish caught by a UK flagged fishing vessel
• exports to the EU of fish imported from another country that have been stored or processed in the UK
• direct landings in EU ports by a UK flagged fishing vessel
• Send fish to an EU border inspection post
• You’ll need to send all consignments of UK-caught fish and fishery products by sea, air, road or rail to the EU through a border inspection post (BIP) only.

Catch certificate

You’ll need a catch certificate for most exports of fish to the EU. The catch certificate shows that the fish was caught legally. It includes:

• details about the catching vessels
• amount of fish by species and weight
• presentation and state, such as whole or filleted, fresh or frozen
• commodity code
• when and where the fish was caught
• To get a catch certificate to export a consignment of fish from the UK to the EU, you’ll need to follow these steps:

You’ll complete an online catch certificate form for each consignment of fish. If you’re exporting fish that came from multiple vessels, you’ll need to specify quantities from each vessel.

The UK fisheries authority will validate your catch certificate.

Send the validated catch certificate to your EU importer to complete their sections.

The importer will present the certificate to their competent authority.


You won’t need a catch certificate to export:

• farmed fish and farmed shellfish
• freshwater fish or freshwater shellfish
• fish fry or larvae
• some molluscs including mussels, cockles, oysters and scallops, but you’ll still need a live shellfish registration document - for more information contact your local council
• Export health certificate
• You’ll need an export health certificate (EHC) for all exports of fish to the EU, including farmed fish and shellfish. You won’t need an EHC for direct landings from a UK flagged fishing vessel.
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• An official vet or local authority environmental health officer will sign the EHC to confirm the quality and health of the export. There is no fee for the EHC, but you may need to pay for the services of the vet or local authority.
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• EHC forms for fish exports will be available before the UK leaves the EU.

Direct landing documents

To land your catch from your UK flagged fishing vessel directly in the EU you’ll need to land in a designated EU port

Fishery enforcement officers may inspect your fish when you arrive. You’ll need to show them the catch certificate.

You’ll need to complete a:

• prior notification form
• pre-landing declaration
• Prior notification form

You’ll need to give EU designated ports prior notification of your arrival:

• for frozen fish, at least 72 hours before landing
• for fresh fish, at least 4 hours before landing
• Pre-landing declaration

You’ll need to submit a pre-landing declaration 4 hours before landing. You’ll need to give details of the:

• area fished
• quantity of fish by species on board the vessel
• North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) Port State Control forms
• You’ll need to submit NEAFC Port State Control forms PSC1 and PSC2 24 hours before landing.
• Storage document - for fish stored in the UK but not processed

If you’re exporting to the EU fish sourced from another country that have been stored in the UK, but not processed in any way, you’ll need to apply for a storage document.

In your application, you’ll need to provide:

• a description of the product and commodity code
• export weight of the product
• date and place the product entered the UK
• description of the storage facility and conditions the fish was kept in
• transport details - the registration number of the vehicle or CMR note
• Keep a copy of the catch certificate from the original consignment with the storage document.

Processing statement - for fish processed in the UK

If you’re exporting to the EU fish sourced from another country that has been processed in the UK, you’ll need to apply for a processing statement.

In your application, you’ll need to provide:

• a description of the product and commodity code
• species and weight of the fish landed
• the net weight of the fish used for processing
• the weight of the product after processing
• processing plant details, including approval number
• export health certificate number and date
• Include a copy of the catch certificate from the original consignment with the processing statement.

Method of transport

You’ll need to include transport details on the catch certificate. These will include:

• by sea: the container numbers and the name and flag of the container vessel
• by air: the airway bill or flight number
• by road: the registration number of the vehicle or CMR note
• by rail: the railway bill number

You’ll need to give these details to the importer so they can give them to the receiving member state’s competent authority. You must do this for exports:

• by sea: 72 hours before landing
• by air and rail: 4 hours before arriving
• by road: 2 hours before arriving
• Exporting fish to non-EU countries

See guidance on catch certificates for non-EU imports and exports of fish.

Importing fish from the EU from 30 March 2019

If you import fish to the UK from the EU you’ll need a catch certificate and supporting documents validated by the country of export. These will vary as they are produced by the exporting country.

UK port health authorities (fisheries authorities in Northern Ireland) will check these documents on imports to the UK of containerised fish by sea, air, road or rail.

EU fishing vessels must land fish into a designated UK port

If the fish you’re importing to the UK have been:

• stored, you’ll need a storage document from the exporter
• processed, you’ll need a processing statement from the exporter - this must be filled in by the processor and endorsed by the authority in the country of processing

If you re-export fish imported from the EU you’ll need to complete the re-export section on the catch certificate.

Published 4 February 2019
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exporting-and-importing-fish-if-theres-no-brexit-deal