Imports of Fish or Fishery Produce
Consignments of fish or fishery products entering the EU through an Irish Border Control post are subject to SPS Requirements and Controls designed to manage safety/health/hygiene risk. These controls, including documentary checks on Health Certificates, are carried out by DAFM officials at those BCPS, and are not under SFPA remit.
However most marine wild-caught fishery product imports are also subject to IUU requirements, and the documentary controls on Catch Certificates and IUU documentation to enable such imports are completed by SFPA.
For further information see our IUU Import page.
Regulatory changes for import into EU of farmed fishery products intended for further processing
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 of 16 December 2020 lays down rules for the application of Regulations (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2017/625 as regards model animal health certificates, model official certificates and model animal health/official certificates, for entry into the EU and movements within the EU of consignments of certain categories of animals and goods and official certification regarding such certificates.
This legislation requires imports of some categories of fishery products from Third Countries to EU to be accompanied by a health certificate signed by only an official veterinarian (OV). Regulation 2235/2020 came into effect on 21st April 2021. Seafood products impacted by this regulatory change are limited to farmed fish including farmed live bivalve molluscs, that are destined for further processing within the EU. Other categories, including wild fishery products or those fishery products that are packaged for retail sale direct to consumers are not impacted and may continue to be imported into the EU with non-veterinary Third Country certification. Modifications introduced by Regulation 2021/1329 mean that transitional arrangements apply for consignments certified until 15 January 2022.
DAFM are the competent authority responsible for the verification of SPS requirements at EU border control posts (BCP’s) of entry and Irish importers of fishery products from all Third Countries including the UK will need to ensure that their products are presented for import with the appropriate health certificate.