New Hygiene Import Certificate for Processed Seafood Requested from January 1st, 2013.

China will begin requiring a new hygiene import certificate for processed seafood on January 1st, 2013.  We believe that live seafood, fishmeal, and salmon will be unaffected by this requirement as they are already imported under separate recently negotiated certificates.  China has notified us that it will not grant a grace period for product arriving after December 31st with the current certificate.  Any product arriving for import after January 1st without the new import certificate risks import delay or refusal; we advise exporters to discuss the new requirement with their importers before making additional shipments.  New import certificate negotiations are underway between the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seafood Inspection Program and China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine.