Guidance Document  
 
A guidance document issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Aquatic Animal Products  
AQUAPROD.GEN  
      
 Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  1 of 19 
 
 
 Title 
Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products . 
About this document  
This guidance document contains information about acceptable ways of ensuring compliance with the 
requirements in t he Import Health Standard ( IHS): Aquatic Animal Products . 
Any guidance on how to comply with the applicable requirements may not be the only way to achieve 
compli ance. Stakeholders are encouraged to discuss departures from the approaches outlined in this 
guidance document with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to avoid expending resources on the 
development of alternative approaches which may later be consi dered unsuitable.  
The term “must” is not typically used in guidance. In this particular document if the term “must” is used, it is 
used in the context of quoting or paraphrasing the requirements set out in the related IHS: Aquatic Animal 
Products . 
Related Requirements  
Import Health Standard: Aquatic Animal Products  
Document  history  
Refer to Appendix 1.  
Contact Details  
For further information and questions about this guidance document, please contact:  
 
Ministry for Primary Industries  
Biosecu rity New Zealand  
Animal Imports  Team  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
Email: animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz  
Disclaimer  
This guidance does not constitute, and should not be regarded as, legal advice . While every effort has been 
made to ensure the information in this guidance is accurate, the Ministry for Primary Industries does not accept 
any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be 
present, however it may have occurred.  
Copyright  
Crown copyright ©. This copyright work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand 
licence. In essence, you are free to copy, distribute and adapt the work, as long as you attribu te the work to the Ministry for Primary 
Industries and abide by the other licence terms. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/nz/ . 
Please note that n o governmental emblem, logo or Coat of Arms may be used in any way which infringes any provision of the Flags, 
Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981 or would infringe such provision if the relevant use occurred within New Zealand. 
Attribution to the Minis try for Primary Industries should be in written form and not by reproduction of any such emblem, logo or Coat of 
Arms.  
Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  2 of 19 
 
 
 Contents  Page 
1 Purpose  3 
2 Background  3 
3 Harmonised System (HS) codes  4 
4 Countries with recognised exporting systems  4 
5 Aquatic animal products not requiring recognition of country’s exporting systems  6 
6 Inspection and verification  6 
7 Model health certificate: Salmonid fish products  7 
8 Model health certificate: Non -salmonid fish products  9 
9 Model health certificate: Crustacean products  11 
10 Model health certificate: Other aquatic animal products  13 
Appendix 1 – Document History  19 
 
  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  3 of 19 
 
 
 1 Purpose  
(1) This guidance document has been issued to accompany the IHS: Aquatic Animal Products . This 
guidance document should be read in conjunction with that IHS. 
(2)  It is recommended  that importers also read the steps to importing aquatic animal products, located on 
the MPI website: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing/food/seafood/  
(3) This document includes:  
a) A list of c ountries with exporting systems that are recognised by MPI for exporting  the following 
categories of  aquati c animal products  and the links to negotiated country -specific h ealth 
certificates for these products:  
i) Salmonid fish products  (IHS c lause 2. 1) 
ii) Non-salmonid fish products from recognised countries  (IHS clause 2.2.2)  
iii) Crustacean products from recognised countries  (IHS clause 2.3.1) . 
b) A model health  certificate  for the following categories of aquati c animal products . Before trade 
can begin for these commodities, a certificate (using the model) must be negotiated and agreed 
between MPI and the Competent Authority of the exporting country.  
i) Salmonid fish products (IHS c lause 2.1) : Section 7 of this document  
ii) Non-salmonid fish products from recognised countries (IHS clause 2.2.2) : Section 8 of this 
document  
iii) Crustacean products from recognised countries (IHS clause 2.3.1) : Section 9 of this 
document . 
c) A model health certific ate (Section 10 of this document)  for the following categories of  aquatic 
animal products . Exporting countries can use the model health certificate to export these 
commodities to New Zealand without negotiation or preapproval by MPI.  
i) Marine fish products from Australia  (IHS clause 2.2.1)  
ii) Low-risk non -salmonid fish products from any country  (IHS clause 2.2.3)  
iii) Non-salmonid fish products from any country for further processing in New Zealand  
(IHS clause 2.2.4)  
iv) Non-salmonid fish skin-off fillet s (IHS clause 2.2.5.1)  
v) Dried non -salmonid fish products  (IHS clause 2.2.5.2)  
vi) Non-salmonid fish products in retail packaging  (IHS clause 2.2.5.3)  
vii) Heat -treated crustacean products  (IHS clause 2.3.2.1)  
viii) Frozen crustacean products  (IHS clause 2.3.2.2)  
ix) Crustacean produ cts in retail packaging  (IHS clause 2.3.2.3)  
x) Haliotis  spp. (abalone) products  (IHS clause 2.4.1)  
xi) Mollusc products other than Haliotis  spp. (abalone)  (IHS clause 2.4.2)  
xii) Aquatic animal meal and aquatic animal oil  (IHS clause 2.8).  
2 Background  
(1) The IHS: Aquatic  Animal Products , which this guidance document accompanies, contains generic and 
specific import requirements. These are the rules to manage the biosecurity risk of importing  aquatic 
animal products  from all countries that can meet the requirements of the IHS and in doing so meet 
New Zealand’s appropriate level of protection. The IHS serves as the basis for country -to-country 
(bilateral) negotiations.  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
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Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  4 of 19 
 
 
 3 Harmonised System (HS) codes  
(1) The Harmonised System is an international product numbering classification developed by the World 
Customs Organi zation (WCO). The New Zealand Harmonised System is found here: Tariffs in New 
Zealand | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (mbie.govt.nz)  
(2) Aquatic a nimal products imported using the IHS will be under one of the following HS codes:  
 
HS Code  Commodity Description  
0302 Fish; fresh or chilled, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304  
0303  Fish; frozen, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304  
0304  Fish fillets and other fish meat (whether or not minced); fresh, chilled or frozen  
0305  Fish, dried, salted or in brine; smoked fish, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking 
process; flours, meals and pellets of fish, fit for human consumption.  
0306  Crustaceans, whether in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; smoked 
crustaceans, whether in shell or not, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking 
process; crustaceans, in shell, cooked by steaming or by boiling in water, whether or not chilled, 
frozen, dried, salted or in brine; flours, meals  and pellets of crustacean, fit for human 
consumption.  
0307  Molluscs, whether in shell or not, live, fresh,  chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; smoked 
molluscs, whether in shell or not, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process; 
flours, meals and pellets of molluscs, fit for human consumption.  
0308  Aquatic invertebrates other than crustaceans and molluscs, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, 
salted or in brine; smoked aquatic invertebrates other than crustaceans and molluscs, whether or 
not cooked before or during the smoking process; flours, meals and pellets of aquatic 
invertebrates other than crustaceans and molluscs, fit for human consumption.  
1504  Fats and oils and their factions, of fish or marine mammals, whet her or not refined, but not 
chemically modified.  
1605  Crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates, prepared or preserved.  
4 Countries with recognised export ing systems  
(1) The table below list the countries with exporting systems that are recognised by MPI for exporting the 
following categories of aquatic animal products : 
a) Salmonid fish products ( IHS clause 2.1)  
b) Non-salmonid fish products from recognised countries ( IHS clause 2.2.2)  
c) Crustacean products from recognised countries ( IHS clause 2.3.1) . 
(2) Requests from exporting countries to negotiate health certification for the import of aquatic animal 
products into New Zealand will be prioritised according to MPI resources available at the time of 
application.  
(3) A model health certificate is provided in th is guidance document and can be used by the Competent 
Authority as a reference for country -specific health certificate negotiation.  
(4) All country -specific health certificates agreed between an exporting country’s Competent Authority and 
MPI are included in t he table below.  
(5) Country -specific health  certificates with equivalent measures will be recorded with a number relevant 
to a Chief Technical Officer (CTO) direction under section 27(1)d(iii) of the Act, to enable border staff 
to clear the goods and record th e number in the MPI database.  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
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Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  5 of 19 
 
 
 (6) When a newly negotiated country -specific health  certificate replaces one that is currently in use, the 
application of new import conditions will apply according to the dates listed in the table. Previous health 
certificates for that country can not be used  after the “date applicable for use” listed in the table . 
(7) After issue of the IHS, the measures may be used by countries which already have an agreed health  
certificate. Using the measures before a new country -specific health  certificate is agreed on can create 
challenges at the time of biosecurity clearance. MPI should be notified prior to their use in order to 
provide clarification to border staff.  
(8) When a c ountry -specific health certificate is agreed on, there will be a six -month transition period to 
allow Salmonid fish products  (IHS clause 2.1) from recognised countries  to be prepared in accordance 
with the new conditions. During the transition period, both  the old and the new import conditions are 
acceptable. After transition, the previous health certificate for that country can no longer be used.  
 
Countries  S27 CTO direction 
#  Date agreed  Date applicable for 
use Link to certificate  
Commodity: Salmonid fish products (IHS clause 2.1)  
Australia  New certificate as 
per IHS 
AQUAPROD.GEN 
to be negotiated  Trade ongoing    
Canada  New certificate as 
per IHS 
AQUAPROD.GEN 
to be negotiated  Trade ongoing    
European Union  New certificate as 
per IHS 
AQUAPROD.GEN 
to be negotiated  Trade ongoing    
Norway  New certificate as 
per IHS 
AQUAPROD.GEN 
to be negotiated  Trade ongoing    
United Kingdom  New certificate as 
per IHS 
AQUAPROD.GEN 
to be negotiated  Trade ongoing    
United States of 
America  New certificate as 
per IHS 
AQUAPROD.GEN 
to be negotiated  Trade ongoing    
Commodity: Non -salmonid fish products from recognised countries (IHS clause 2.2.2)  
No country is currently recognised for this commodity  
     
Commodity: Crustacean products from recognised countries (IHS clause 2.3.1)  
No country is currently recognised for this commodity  
     
 Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
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Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  6 of 19 
 
 
 5 Aquatic animal products not requiring recognition of 
country’s  exporting systems  
(1) The following aquatic animal products do not require country negotiation prior to commencement of 
trade:  
a) Marine fish products from Australia ( IHS clause 2.2.1)  
b) Low-risk non -salmon id fish products from any country ( IHS clause 2.2.3)  
c) Non-salmon id fish products from any country for further processing in New Zealand  
(IHS clause  2.2.4).  
Note: Fish imported under IHS clause 2.2.4 must be accompanied by an import permit.  
d) Non-salmon id fish  skin-off fish fillets ( IHS clause 2.2.5.1 of the IHS) 
e) Dried non -salmon id fish products ( IHS clause 2.2.5. 2) 
f) Non-salmon id fish products in retail packaging ( IHS clause 2.2.5. 3) 
g) Heat -treated crustacean products ( IHS clause 2.3.2.1)  
h) Frozen crustacean products ( IHS clause 2.3.2. 2) 
i) Crustacean products in retail packaging ( IHS clause 2.3. 2.3) 
j) Haliotis  spp. (abalone) products ( IHS clause 2.4.1)  
k) Mollusc products other than Haliotis  spp. (abalone) ( IHS clause 2.4.2)  
l) Aquatic animal meal and aquatic animal oil (IHS clause 2.8)  
m) Echinoderm products ( IHS clause 2.5)  
n) Tunicate products ( IHS clause 2.6)  
o) Cnidarian (jellyfish) products ( IHS clause 2.7) . 
(2) For aquatic animal products listed from (a) to ( l) above, a model health certificate is provided in this 
guidance document that can be used by the exporting country for the purpose of export to 
New Zealand . No negotiation of the health certificate with MPI is required for trade.  
(3) For aquatic animal products listed from ( m) to (o) above , no official documentation is required for 
export  to New Zealand . Any document that identifies the product as echinoderm, or  tunicate or cnidaria 
(jellyfish) and that it has been commercially prepared and packaged  will facilitate biosecurity clearance 
at the border.  
6 Inspection and verification  
(1) On arrival, all documentation accompanying the consignment will be verified by an ins pector. The 
inspector may also inspect the consignment or a sample of the consignment on arrival.  
(2) Inspectors are able to inspect and verify due to their authorised powers under the Act.  
(3) These requirements are independent of the IHS requirements.  
  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
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Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  7 of 19 
 
 
 7 Model health certificate : Salmonid fish products  
(1) Below is a model health  certificate for trade in  salmonid fish products (IHS clause 2.1 ). The model 
meets the requirements of the IHS.  
(2) Before trade can begin, a certificate (using the model) must be negoti ated and agreed between MPI 
and the Competent Authority of the exporting country. Specimens of the agreed country -specific 
certificate s will be linked in the table in Section 4 of this document as well as in the dropdown area 
where the Import Health Standa rd: Aquatic Animal Products  is published on MPI’s website.  
 
Competent Authority Name  
Health Certificate for Export of Salmon id Fish  Products  to New Zealand  Part 1: Details of dispatched consignment  
 
1.  Consignor (Exporter)  2.  Certificate reference number  
Name    
Address   
3.  Consignee (Importer)  
Name   
Address   
4.  Country of origin   
5.  Country of destination  New Zealand  
6.  Processor  
Name   
Address   
Establishment number   
7.  Port dispatched from   8.  Date of departure   
9.  Means of transport     Aeroplane      Ship 
10. Salmon species   11.  HS Code   
12.  Description of commodity  
 Headed, gilled, and gutted salmon  
 Salmon fillets or steak, or products derived from further processing of salmon fille ts or steaks  
13.  Temperature of commodities for transport   14.  Total number of packages   
15.  Gross Weight (kg)   16.  Net weight (kg)   
17.  Container  number   18.  Official seal number   
Signature    
Date   
Page 1 of 2  
 
 
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  8 of 19 
 
 
 Competent Authority   Certificate reference number   Part 2:  Health  Information  
I, the undersigned Certifying Official , certify that the product  described above satisfy the following requirements:  
 
(1) The product is derived from fish within the family Salmonidae . 
 
(2) The product is derived from fish that were harvested from a population for which a documented health 
surveillance programme exists which i s administered by a competent government -authorised agency.  
 
(3) The product is derived from fish that were not slaughtered as an official disease control measure as a result of an 
outbreak of disease.  
 
(4) The product is derived from fish that were processed in a premises under the supervision of a competent 
government -authorised regulatory agency with responsibility for food safety standards during processing of fish 
for export.  
 
Additional declaration  
(this section must be completed if the salmon product originates from a country other than the exporting country; delete if 
not applicable ) 
 
The product described herein was derived  / partly derived from product that was imported into  ____________  <exportin g 
country name > from  _______________  <origin country name >. I, the undersigned Certifying Official, confirm that the 
salmon product is eligible for export from the origin country direct to New Zealand under an existing Import Health 
Standard.  
 
Note: Certif ying official  signature and stamp to be applied to all pages  
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Name   
Designation   
Address   
Email   
Date   
Page 2 of 2  
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp,and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  9 of 19 
 
 
 8 Model health certificate : Non-salmonid fish products  
(1) The b elow model health certificate is for trade in non-salmon id fish products (IHS clause 2.2.2) that 
require  MPI recognition  of exporting country systems and certification.  This model meets the 
requirements of the  IHS. 
(2) Before trade can begin, a certificate (using the model) must be negotiated and agreed between MPI 
and the Competent Authority of the exporting country. Specimens of the agreed country -specific 
certificate s will be linked in the table in Section 4 of this document as well as in the dropdown area 
where the Import Health Standard: Aquatic Animal Products  is published on MPI’s website.  
 
Competent Authority Name  
Health Certificate for Export of Non-Salmon id Fish  Products  to New Zealand  Part 1: Details of dispatched consignment  
 
1.  Consignor (Exporter)  2.  Certificate reference number  
Name    
Address   
3.  Consignee (Importer)  
Name   
Address   
4.  Country of origin   
5.  Country of destination  New Zealand  
6.  Processor  
Name   
Address   
Establishment Number   
7.  Port dispatched from   8.  Date of departure   
9.  Means of transport     Aeroplane  
   Ship 10.  Temperature of 
commodities for transport   
11.  Product name  12.  Name of a quatic animal species in 
the product  13.  Number of 
packages  14.  Net 
weight (kg)  15.  HS Code  
     
     
16.  C ontainer  number:   17.  Official seal number:   
Certifying Official ’s Signature    
Date   
Page 1 of 2  
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp,and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  10 of 19 
 
 
  
Competent Authority   Certificate reference numbe r  Part 2:  Health  Information  
I, the undersigned Certifying Official , certify that the product  described below  satisfy the following requirements:   
 
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS  
(1) The product was processed at premises that follow Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysi s and 
Critical Control Point (HAACP) programmes to the satisfaction of the Competent Authority of the exporting 
country.  
(2) The product was processed at premises that is approved for export of aquatic animal products by the Competent 
Authority of the exportin g country.  
 
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS  
(Delete the option not applicable to the consignment ) 
 The country is free from ______________ < write the risk organisms applicable for the fish species > for the 
______________ < name the fish species > the product is derived from.  
 The product has been treated as per the process approved by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries for 
______________ < name the fish species >. 
 
ADDITIONAL DECLARATION  
(required if the non-salmon id fish  product originates from a country other than the exporting country; delete if not 
applicable ) 
The product described herein was derived/partly derived from product which was imported into ___________ <exporting 
country name > from  ______________ _____  <origin country name >. both the exporting country and the origin country are 
eligible to export the product direct to New Zealand under the Import Health Standard : Aquatic Animal Products  
 
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Name   
Designation   
Address   
Email   
Date   
Page 2 of 2  
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp,and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  11 of 19 
 
 
 9 Model health certificate: Crustacean products  
(1) The below model health certificate is for trade in crustacean products (IHS clause 2.3.1)  that require  
MPI recognition  of exporting country systems and certification.  This model meets the requirements of 
the IHS.  
(2) Before trade can begin, a certificate (us ing the model) must be negotiated and agreed between MPI 
and the Competent Authority of the exporting country. Specimens of the agreed country -specific 
certificates will be linked in the table in Section 4 of this document as well as in the dropdown area 
where the Import Health Standard: Aquatic Animal Products  is published on MPI’s website.  
 
Competent Authority Name  
Health Certificate for Export of Crustacean Products  to New Zealand  Part 1: Details of dispatched consignment  
 
1.  Consignor (Exporter)  2.  Certificate reference number  
Name    
Address   
3.  Consignee (Importer)  
Name   
Address   
4.  Country of origin   
5.  Country of destination  New Zealand  
6.  Processor  
Name   
Address   
Establishment Number   
7.  Port dispatched from   8.  Date of departure   
9.  Means of transport     Aeroplane  
   Ship 10.  Temperature of 
commodities for transport   
11.  Product name  12.  Name of a quatic animal species in 
the product  13.  Number of 
packages  14.  Net 
weight (kg)  15.  HS Code  
1.      
2.      
16.  C ontainer  number:   17.  Official seal number:   
Certifying Official ’s Signature    
Date   
Page 1 of 2  
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp,and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  12 of 19 
 
 
  
Competent Authority   Certificate reference numbe r  Part 2:  Health  Information  
I, the undersigned Certifying Official , certify that the product  described below  satisfy the following requirements:   
 
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS  
(1) The product was processed at premises that follow Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and 
Critical Control Point (HAACP) programmes to the satisfaction of the Competent Authorit y of the exporting 
country.  
(2) The product was processed at premises that is approved for export of aquatic animal products by the Competent 
Authority of the exporting country.  
 
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS  
(Delete the option s not applicable to the consignment ) 
 The country is free from Aphanomyces astaci  and the product is derived from ________________________ 
(write the crustacean species name listed in Schedule 8 of the IHS: Aquatic Animal Products ). 
 The country is free from Hematodinium  spp. and the product is derived from _________________________ 
(write the crab or lobster species name negotiate d with MPI  for export ). 
 
ADDITIONAL DECLARATION  
(required if the crustacean product originates from a country other than the exporting country; delete if not applicable ) 
The product described herein was derived/partly derived from product which was imported into ___________ <exporting 
country name > from  ___________________  <origin country name >. both the exporting country and the origin country are 
eligible to export the pr oduct direct to New Zealand under the Import Health Standard : Aquatic Animal Products  
 
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Name   
Designation   
Address   
Email   
Date   
Page 2 of 2  
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp, and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  13 of 19 
 
 
 10 Model health certificate : Other a quatic animal products  
(1) Below is a model health certificate for trade in non -salmon id fish, crustacean , and mollusc  products 
that do not require  MPI recognition  of exporting country systems and certification. The model meet s 
the requirements of the IHS.  
a) Marine fish products from Australia (IHS clause 2.2.1)  
b) Low-risk non -salmonid fish products from any country (IHS clause 2.2.3)  
c) Non-salmonid fish products from any country for further processing in New Zealand 
(IHS clause  2.2.4). 
d) Note : Fish imported under IHS clause 2.2.4 must be accompanied by an import permit.  
e) Non-salmonid fish skin -off fish fillets (IHS clause 2.2.5.1 of the IHS) 
f) Dried non -salmonid fish products (IHS clause 2.2.5.2)  
g) Non-salmonid fish products in retail packa ging (IHS clause 2.2.5.3)  
h) Heat -treated crustacean products (IHS clause 2.3.2.1)  
i) Frozen crustacean products (IHS clause 2.3.2.2)  
j) Crustacean products in retail packaging (IHS clause 2.3.2.3)  
k) Haliotis  spp. (abalone) products (IHS clause 2.4.1)  
l) Mollusc products other than Haliotis  spp. (abalone) (IHS clause 2.4.2)  
m) Aquatic animal meal and aquatic animal oil (IHS clause 2.8)  
(2) Exporting countries can use the model health certificate for importing the  above commodities into New 
Zealand without negotiation or pre -approval by MPI.  
  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  14 of 19 
 
 
  
Competent Authority Name  
Health Certificate for Export of Aquatic Animal Products  to New Zealand  Part 1: Details of dispatched consignment  
 
1.  Consignor (Exporter)  2.  Certificate reference number  
Name    
Address   
3.  Consignee (Importer)  
Name   
Address   
4.  Country of origin   
5.  Country of destination  New Zealand  
6.  Processor  
Name   
Address   
Establishment Number   
7.  Port dispatched from   8.  Date of departure   
9.  Means of transport   Aeroplane  
 Ship 10.  Temperature of commodities 
for transport   
11.  Product name  12.  Name of a quatic animal species in 
the product  13.  Number of 
packages  14.  Net 
weight (kg)  15.  HS Code  
     
     
16.  C ontainer  number:   17.  Official seal 
number:   
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Date   
Page 1 of 5 
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  15 of 19 
 
 
 
Part 2:  Health  Information  
Competent Authority   Certificate reference number   
I, the undersigned Certifying Official , certify that the product  described below  satisfy the following requirements:   
 
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS  
 
(1) The product was processed at premises that follow Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and 
Critical Control Point (HAACP) programmes to the satisfaction of the Competent Authority of the exporting 
country.  
(2) The product was processed at premises that is approved for export of aquatic animal products by the Competent 
Authority of the exporting coun try. 
 
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS  
(Delete the product categor ies that are not applicable to the consignment ) 
(1) Marine fish product from Australia  
(a) The product is derived from ( Tick the option that appl ies to the consignment ): 
 Sea mullet ( Mugil cephalus ); or 
 A marine fish species . 
(b) The product is derived from fish caught in Australia’s exclusive economic zone  or adjacent international 
waters . 
(2) Low-risk, non -salmon id fish product  (Tick the option that appl ies to the consignment ) 
 The product is derived from a fish species belonging to a family listed in Schedule 4  of New Zealand’s 
Import Health Standard : Aquatic Animal Product s. 
 The product is derived from a fish species listed in Schedule 5  of New Zealand’s Import Health Standard : 
Aquatic Animal Products  and has been frozen to a minimum core temperature of -18°C for a period of not 
less than 168 hours.  
 The product is derived from a fish species listed in Schedule 6  of New Zealand’s Import Health Standard : 
Aquatic Animal Products  and has been frozen to a minimum core temperature of  -18°C for a period of not 
less than four months.  
(3) Non-salmonid fish for further processing in New Zealand  
(a) The consignment comprises of _______________ < name  the full scientific na me of the fish species >. 
(b) The fish species does not belong to the family  Salmonidae.   
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Date   
Page 2 of 5 
 
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp, and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  16 of 19 
 
 
 
Part 2:  Health  Information  
Competent Authority   Certificate reference number   
(4) Non-salmon id fish  skin-off fish fillet  (Tick the option that appl ies to the consignment ) 
 The product is skin -off fillet derived from a fish species belonging to a family listed in Schedule 3 of New 
Zealand’s Import Health Standard : Aquatic Animal Products  and has been frozen to a mini mum core 
temperature of  -20°C for a period of not less than 168 hours . 
 The product is skin -off fillet derived from a fish species belonging to a family listed in Schedule 7 of New 
Zealand’s Import Health Standard : Aquatic Animal Products . 
(5) Dried non-salmon fish product  
(a) The product is derived from a fish species that does not belong to the family Salmonidae . 
(b) The product is eviscerated  fish. 
(c) The product was mechanically dried at a minimum core temperature of 100°C for a period of not less than 
30 minutes.  
(6) Non-salmon id fish product in retail packaging  
(a) The product is derived from a fish species that does not belong to the family Salmonidae . 
(b) The product is froze n. 
(c) The product is in retail packaging  for direct sale to households and businesses in the food service sector . 
(d) Each retail package has a net content of not more than 1 kg or 1 litre . 
(7) Heat -treated crustacean product  (Tick the option that appl ies to the consignment )  
 The product is derived from __________ (write the scientific name of the crustacean species listed in 
Schedule 8  of New Zealand’s  Import Health Standard : Aquatic Animal Products ) and has been heat -
treated as follows ( Tick the option that appl ies to the consignment ): 
 The product was heat  treated to a minimum core temperature of 100°C for period of not less than 
one minute.  
 The product was heat treated to a minimum core temperature of 90°C for a period of not less than 
10 minutes.  
 The produc t is derived from _______ ____________ ___ ( write the scientific name of the crustacean 
species ), which is NOT listed in Schedule 8  of the  IHS: Aquatic Animal Products , and was heat-treated 
until the protein in the crustacean meat is coagulated.   
 
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Date   
Page 3  of 5 
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official  stamp,  and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  17 of 19 
 
 
  
Part 2:  Health  Information  
Competent Authority   Certificate reference number   
(8) Frozen crustacean product  (Tick the option that appl ies to the consignment)   
 The product is derived from _____ ___________________ _____ ( write the scientific name of the 
crustacean species listed in Schedule 8 of New Zealand’s  Import Health Standard : Aquatic Animal 
Products ) and has been frozen to a minimum core temperature of -20°C for a period of not less than 
72 hours.  
 The product is derived from ____ ___________________ ______ ( write the s cientific name of the 
crustacean species ), which is NOT listed in Schedule 8  of New Zealand’s  Import Health Standard : Aquatic 
Animal Products  and has been frozen to a minimum core temperature of -18°C for a period of not less 
than 12 hours.  
(9) Crustacean product in retail packaging  
(a) The product is in retail packaging  for direct sale to households and businesses in the food service sector . 
(b) Each retail package has a net content of not more than 1 kg or 1 litre . 
(c) The product needs to be transported and/or stored at non -freezing temperature condition and the package 
is labelled with the words “ Not to be used as bait or feed for aquatic animals.”  (Delete th is option  if it 
does not apply to the consignment ). 
(10) Haliotis  spp. (abalone) products  
(a) The product is meat derived only from Haliotis  spp. (abalone).  
(b) The shells of the Haliotis  spp. (abalone) have been removed completely.  
(c) The Haliotis  spp. (abalone) meat has been heat -treated to a minimum core temperature of 55°C for a 
period of not less than 10 minutes.  
(11) Mollusc products other than Haliotis  spp. (abalone)  
(a) The product is derived from a mollusc species that is not a Haliotis  spp. (abalon e). 
(b) The mollusc meat is (tick the option that appl ies to the consignment ): 
 Cooked    Dried   Frozen.  
(c) The shells  (tick the option that appl ies to the consignment ): 
 Have been removed completely and not included in the consignment.  
 Have been cleaned separately after removal of the meat, and the  mollusc meat was put back on to 
cleaned shells.  
 
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Date   
Page 4 of 5 
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp,  and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  18 of 19 
 
 
  
Part 2:  Health  Information  
Competent Authority   Certificate reference number   
(12) Aquatic animal meal / aquatic animal oil 
(a) The product is derived only from aquatic animal species . 
(b) The product was heat treated at a minimum core temperature of 80°C for a period of no less than 
20 minutes.  
 
Certifying Official   
Signature   
Name   
Designation   
Address   
Email   
Date   
Page 5 of 5 
 
  
Certifying Official signature, 
Official stamp,  and date  Guidance Document : Aquatic Animal Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  19 of 19 
 
 
 Appendix 1 – Document History  
Date First Issued  Title Shortcode  
2 August 2021  
(Internal Consultation)  Guidance Document:  Aquatic Animal Products  GD AQUAPROD.GEN  
11 October 2021  
(External Consultation)  Guidance Document:  Aquatic Animal Products  GD AQUAPROD.GEN  
Date of Issued Amendments  Title Shortcode