China Has New Inspection & Quarantine Rules on Import Cultured Salmons

Recently, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine (AQSIQ) issued its Announcement on Intensifying Inspection & Quarantine of Import Salmons, prohibiting from February 20, 2011 the entry of import aqua-cultured salmons without required license.

According to the Announcement, since 2010, China's entry-exit inspection & quarantine institutions have detected parasites, pathogenic microorganism, and excess residue of veterinary drugs in part of frozen fresh salmon imports.

So, to safeguard public health, the AQSIQ requires intensifying the inspection and quarantine on any import salmons by taking concrete measures in three aspects as below:

1. From February 20, 2011, relevant inspection & quarantine institutions shall conduct quarantine approval formalities on the import of cultured salmons.

Importers of cultured salmons must obtain in advance the License for Quarantine of Entry Animals & Plants and otherwise shall not make entry of such imports.

Importers of wild salmons must submit relevant written certificates indicated with fishing vessel numbers and fishing areas and officially issued by pertinent exporting countries/regions; and otherwise their imports shall be all regarded as cultured salmons.

2. Entry-exit inspection & quarantine institutions shall conduct archival registration of external exporters and their agents as well as domestic consignees and their agents regarding any import frozen fresh salmons.

3. Entry-exit inspection & quarantine institutions shall intensify their on-site inspection and quarantine of import frozen fresh salmons as per relevant China's regulations and standards, prohibiting entry of such imports upon any inconsistency between official sanitary certificates or between goods and documents.