NOAA Fisheries works to ensure confidence in U.S. seafood by protecting and strengthening the seafood market through global trade, establishing partnerships with industry and consumer groups, providing seafood inspection services, and analyzing seafood safety risks. 

We offer seafood inspection services to processors and importers to assist in meeting U.S. regulations and generally accepted seafood production best practices governing fishery products for human consumption. This service supports seafood safety and includes sanitation inspection, system and process audits, grading and inspection, and product laboratory analyses.

Multimedia

NOAA Fisheries Video Gallery

Fish on display at the market. Credit: Shutterstock

Podcast

Making Seafood Imports Safer by Reducing Illegal Fishing

International

Commercial fishing in the Valdez, Alaska harbor.

Podcast

Combating Labor Abuse in the Seafood Sector

National

Video

NOAA Fisheries’ Seafood Inspection Program Makes Sure Your Seafood Is Safe, Healthy, and Wholesome

National

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Our Seafood Inspection Program maintains contractual agreements with seafood processors and distributors to provide services supporting compliance with:

Inspection and Analytical Fees

Effective November 1, 2022, the basic hourly fee for full-time, contracted, non-HACCP (food safety), inspection services provided by the USDC Seafood Inspection Program will be $238.00.

Inspection and Analytical Service Fees

Advertising Your Products

We can help program participants achieve their marketing goals while maintaining compliance with the applicable federal regulations and policies. It is the USDC policy to work cooperatively and constructively with program participants and users of inspected products.

Learn more about the policy for advertising services and marks

We offer U.S. firms services including:

• On-site implementation and verification of hazardous analysis and critical control point-based process controls
• Third-party verification activities
• Information oncertification agencies
• Online certification through the Seafood Inspection Services Portal

Export Certification

We offer export certification services to facilitate exports of seafood products that meet the unique requirements of each importing country and any other specific industry buyer criteria. Export certificates must be requested and issued prior to product shipment.

We represent the United States in negotiations with other countries regarding their import requirements for seafood products from the United States. These negotiations frequently include the development and modification of certificates to accompany U.S. seafood exports. We are the competent authority to issue and sign these certificates in the United States.

If foreign border inspection posts raise questions about a certificate issued by the NOAA Seafood Inspection Program, we will attest to the legitimacy of the certificate and make an effort to answer any questions. We may act as a go-between for communication between the exporting industry and importing authority to quickly address issues that arise when a product is detained from entry.

Detentions related to export certificates may arise from:

• Simple language translation
• Varying interpretations of regulations in the importing country
• Issues not related to seafood safety

Tutorial for Seafood Inspection Services Portal Contract Customers

Tutorial for Seafood Inspection Services Portal Non-Contract Customers

Export Certification to the European Union

We certify U.S. seafood products for export to the European Union.

Instructions and requirements are available for both export health certification and illegal, unreported, and unregulated catch documentation required for export to EU member countries.

If products are first being exported to a non-EU country, but will subsequently be exported to the EU, they must be accompanied by an IUU catch document.

Learn more about export certification to the European Union  

Export Certification to non-EU countries

The NOAA Seafood Inspection Program certifies U.S. seafood products for export to any country requiring health certification.

Get country-specific instructions and requirements for export to non-EU countries:

• A–F
• G–M
• N–Z

Certification for Exported Product Intended for Further Processing and Re-export to the EU

This certificate is provided upon request for products that are exported from the United States with the intent of reprocessing and re-exporting to the EU. The processor of the product must be listed as a current approved shipper to the EU. While this certificate confirms the product meets the stated attestation, it is not a health certificate. This certificate may be requested in conjunction with a health certificate or as a standalone document for all destinations except EU and European Free Trade Association countries.

Product Registration

Product registration allows eligible industry members to register/certify products prior to leaving the United States without providing specifics of consignee. To be eligible for this program,  products must be  U.S. wild-caught products originating from a U.S. Department of Commerce-approved establishment produced under an approved quality management plan.

Effective April 1, 2024, registered product will become ineligible for certification 180 days after registration. Any product registered prior to April 1, 2024, will become ineligible for certification on September 28, 2024.

Learn more about product registration

Export Certification for Aquatic Animal By-Products 

Requests for export certification of aquatic animal by-products not intended for human consumption are submitted via email in PDF format. The request form must be completed and submitted prior to shipment. Certificates are issued after verification that all U.S. requirements are met along with any specific requirements of the importing country. Email requests to nmfs.nsil.fm.export@noaa.gov.

By-Product Export Certificate Request Form (PDF, 2 pages)

Certification Validation  

We maintain a database of verified completed seafood inspection certificates. To use the system, you will need the certificate number, certificate number extension, certificate date, and species.

Export Requirements

Fish and Fishery Products for Human Consumption and Fish Meal 

The foreign country export requirements provided below are based on information from prior exports, official notifications, and websites from each country's competent authority. The information is meant as guidance only. All exporters should confirm product documentation requirements with the importer and the competent foreign authorities before production for export to a foreign market. We assume no liability for the accuracy of this information.

Information provided in each country's webpage relates to certification requirements for fish and fishery products destined for human consumption. Certificates for these countries might include food safety/public health attestations, animal health attestations, or both. Email inquiries to NMFS.Seafood.Services@noaa.gov.

Fish Oil Dietary Supplements Label Approval Procedures

The NOAA Seafood Inspection Program is the competent authority for certification of fish oil. It offers export certification for dietary supplements characterized as fish oil, including those with other oil ingredients. To ensure consistency on this process, the program offers export certification for products using the approval processes outlined in the following resources:

• Memorandum: Certifications for Fish Oil Dietary Supplements Update and Label Approval Procedures (PDF, 2 pages)
• NOAA Handbook, Part 4 Policies, Procedures and Requirements for the Inspection of Fisheries Products on a Lot by Lot Basis

Labels must be pre-approved prior to certification. To gain label approval please send an electronic copy of the label and the formulation of the product to sip.fishoil@noaa.gov

Foreign Approved Lists

Various foreign destinations for U.S. fishery product export have listing requirements. Exporters should carefully review their current listing status prior to arranging shipments. This section provides links to current approval lists for specific destination countries.

The listed trade partners have various listing requirements for export from the United States involving shippers and/or processors. These lists are maintained by either the U.S. Department of Commerce or Food and Drug Administration in partnership with the foreign government.

Go to foreign approved list 

Whenever there is a change of ownership or name of any listed company, all export approval lists must be updated with the new name and/or establishment number. It is the responsibility of the exporting company to make sure their information is updated on the relevant lists before requesting export certification. Occasionally, there may be an extended period of time between the change of name/ownership and the list updates. To reduce the risk of exports being held or rejected at the border due to incorrect shipper listing details, the company must notify the Seafood Inspection Program prior to shipping, so that we can work together to find the best option given the specific circumstances. Failure to notify the program ahead of shipping may have negative consequences for the shipper, ranging from excess demurrage costs or rejection of the consignment to the destruction of the product. 

Trade and Commerce

Sustainable fisheries are critical to our nation's economy, not only for domestic jobs and sales, but also for the seafood we import and export. We work with other federal agencies to monitor imports and facilitate sustainable seafood trade. We deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fish and fish products and misrepresented seafood from entering U.S. commerce. These efforts help ensure trade that supports food security and sustainable fisheries, and complement policy efforts supporting engagement with multilateral entities and free trade agreements.

Trade Monitoring

We play a critical role in streamlining seafood trade in and out of the United States. Working in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, we provide support to seafood dealers to ensure imported seafood is caught and imported legally.

Learn more about our trade monitoring programs:

• Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program
• Highly Migratory Species International Trade Program
• Seafood Import Monitoring Program
• Tuna Tracking and Verification Program

Seafood Import and Export Tool

Seafood traders can use ourSeafood Import and Export Tool to identify the NOAA trade monitoring programs with which they must comply. The tool walks users through several questions about the species and products they wish to trade. It supplies them with the specific programs applicable to them and the requirements of those programs.

International Fisheries Trade Permit

All four trade monitoring programs require anInternational Fisheries Trade Permit to import, export, or re-export fish and fish products subject to NOAA Fisheries' trade monitoring programs. Only one permit is needed for all our trade programs.

• Access the national permit system
• View the user guide (PDF, 19 pages)

Import and Export Trade Data

NOAA Fisheries maintains a foreign trade database that allows users to query U.S. foreign trade in fishery products. Users can summarize the weight and dollar value by year, product, country, and type of trade.

• Access the foreign trade portal (select Foreign Trade in lefthand navigation)
• Learn more about foreign fishery trade data

Trade and Commerce Policy

The seafood sector plays an important role in the U.S. economy, generating approximately 1.5 million jobs and providing a nutritious source of protein to the American public. As the largest importer and fifth largest exporter of seafood, trade in this sector plays a vital role in the United States.

Trade Agreements

As a large seafood-consuming and fishing nation, it is critical that we take an active role in shaping the conservation and management regimes of international fisheries. We work to meet the demand of U.S. consumers that imported seafood be safe, legal, and sustainable and ensure confidence in U.S. seafood by protecting and strengthening the seafood market through global trade.

United States Trade Representative Trade Agreements

Market Access

We help U.S. seafood producers maintain access and competitiveness in foreign markets. Our export certificates help U.S. producers meet the unique requirements of each importing country.

More about export certification

International Organizations

We engage with international organizations to promote trade and sound management and help conserve global fisheries resources in a manner consistent with U.S. domestic fisheries policy.

More about our international engagement

NOAA Fisheries National Seafood Inspection Laboratory is an accredited ISO/IEC 17025:2017 laboratory providing analyses, data management, regulatory compliance risk analysis, and technology transfer expertise to meet fishery management and seafood safety responsibilities. The lab shares seafood and aquatic animal health information and data with other federal and state agencies, academia, industry, media, and seafood consumers.

Chemical Services

We perform a number of analytical tests for clients in the seafood industry on imported and domestic fishery products on a fee-for-service basis. These services include testing products for methyl mercury, heavy metals, bisulfites, histamines, and moisture, as well as testing for veterinary drug analyses.

Contact the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory's Chemical Analytical Services 

Microbiological Services

We conduct microbiological analyses on fishery products to test for a number of contaminants, including  salmonella, staphylococcus aureus, fecal coliforms, and vibrio bacteria, among others.

Contact the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory's Microbiological Services