The process for exporting seafood
The requirements on this page are for meat products. Seafood is all fish and fish products, including:
- finfish
- crustaceans
- cephalopods
- echinoderms
- molluscs
- gastropods
- bivalve molluscan shellfish.
Export requirements vary for seafood, depending on your destination market. We’ve created a step-by-step process so you can see what’s involved.
Comply with New Zealand legislation and food standards
You need to meet requirements and all relevant food standards and regulations, unless an exemption applies. Legal requirements are set out in the:
- Animal Products Act 1999
- Food Act 2014
- Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
- OMARs
On this page: Find links to legislation and the Code
Find out about exporting under a plan or programme
Exemptions from composition and labelling rules
There are two exemption options that allow certain products to follow the importing country’s composition and labelling requirements, instead of New Zealand’s. See if they apply to your product.
Find out about exempting food exports from New Zealand requirements
Operating requirements
If you process fish and seafood in New Zealand, you must manage risk to make sure you're providing safe and suitable food. Your operating requirements depend on what type of seafood processing you do and where it's done (for example, at sea or on land).
In most cases, you'll need a registered and verified risk management programme (RMP). Secondary processors of seafood going to a market that does not require an export certificate can, in some cases, be done under either an RMP or a food control plan – but you're advised to check destination requirements.
Processors carrying out limited processing at sea may instead register under a regulated control scheme (RCS). Note that:
- Seafood that is processed on an RMP vessel or a limited processing vessel can be exported directly. All other seafood must go through a land-based processor.
- Bivalve molluscan shellfish (BMS) are a high-risk product and must be sourced from classified growing areas operating under an RCS and then processed for export in RMP premises.
- RMPs can be developed using codes of practice for processing of seafood product or rendering.
Follow the rules for your type of business
The processing section on this website has details about the requirements for different types of processors and operators.
Vessel operators
Limited processing fishing vessels
Factory vessels that carry out primary processing at sea under an RMP
Land-based processors and storage depots
Animal material depots that store fish and seafood
Other processors and operators
Growers, harvesters, and processors of bivalve molluscan shellfish (BMS)
Get your programme, scheme, or plan verified
You must register and get your RMP or RCS verified each year. MPI verification services verifies operators. You need to work with them to make sure your seafood complies with all the requirements and that you're following your RMP or RCS.
Find out about developing an RMP
Email MPI verification services at VSTechnicalTeam@mpi.govt.nz
Verifying a food control plan
If you operate under a food control plan, the verification process is different.
Find out about food control plans and how to get them verified
Use correct fish names
Exporters of fish and fish products need to meet the labelling and naming requirements of the export destination country. Fish products must also follow the labelling requirements set out in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
List of approved fish names [PDF, 521 KB]
Find out more about using approved fish names
Storage and transport requirements
Operators who store or transport seafood before it is exported must meet specific requirements, depending on their market.
Find out about transporting animal products for export
Legislation and standards
Animal Products Act 1999 – NZ Legislation
About Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMARs)
As a seafood exporter, you're responsible for knowing and meeting the requirements of your destination country. You can find most of the requirements in documents called OMARs – Overseas Market Access Requirements. OMARs differ between countries and products. They set out requirements for all operators in your export chain. These could be, for example, processors, storage providers, and transporters.
Some markets have more demanding requirements than others. It's worth checking the requirements before deciding where you want to export to.
You need to apply to MPI to read animal product OMARs because they're password-protected.
Apply for a password to access OMARs
Search for your OMAR
When you have your password, you'll be able to read the OMARs. For seafood, you need to look at the OMARs for animal products.
Find your destination market OMAR
Check all the requirements in the OMAR
Read the OMAR for your destination market thoroughly to make sure you can comply with all the requirements.
If your export destination has an OMAR, you'll likely need an 'official assurance'. This is also known as an export certificate. You'll need this before you can send your seafood. Official assurance is the New Zealand Government's assurance to the destination market that your product meets the standards set out in the OMAR.
You apply for an export certificate through E-cert. (Information about E-cert is covered in steps 4 and 5 of exporting seafood).
Tip: It's helpful to establish a working relationship with an import agent in your destination market. They can confirm any other requirements you may need to meet – sometimes OMARs don't contain all requirements.
Other information you should check
Besides the OMAR, there may be other documents that have information about your market.
Guidance offered by FYIs can help you with exporting concerns or issues. You may need your OMAR password to read some FYIs.
OMAR notifications will give you the latest updates for your destination market.
'For Your Information' (FYI) documents
Check if mercury certification is needed
Some markets require official assurance about the level of mercury in seafood. Our guide has everything you need to know.
Mercury certification guide [PDF, 284 KB]
Exporting to a market with no OMAR
You have to work directly with your importing agent to find out about certification and other requirements if there's no OMAR for your export destination. If an import permit is required, the permit will outline the requirements.
Note that if there is no OMAR, it could mean your product is prohibited from being sent to that country.
Some destinations that don't need official assurances may instead require a free sales certificate (FSC), or a free sales statement (FSS).
Find out more about FSCs and FSSs
Find out if your premises need to be approved
Some countries require premises to be approved, or 'listed', before you can export your products. 'Listing' is a procedure agreed between governments for ensuring that a country's market access requirements are met and products are produced in premises approved to export to that country. Your OMAR will tell you if you need to be listed, and the process to follow.
Are you using wood packaging?
If you use wood packaging products – other than paper – for your export product, check that your wood packaging meets the phytosanitary requirements of the destination market. Most markets require you to treat your wood packaging to make sure it's free of pests and diseases.
How to register
You can do this online.
AP1 exporter registration – online form
Notes about registering
- You'll need to pay a registration fee each year.
- If you don't register with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), you can use the services of an exporter who is already registered.
Once you've registered as an exporter, you can find an overview of your next steps in our information pack.
Animal products exporter information pack [PDF, 524 KB]
Our list of registered exporters
When your application has been processed and approved by MPI, you will be added to our list of registered exporters. This list is available to the public.
About MPI Trade Certification
MPI Trade Certification is the online system MPI uses to issue official government assurances under the Animal Products Act. We issue the official assurance as an export certificate. MPI Trade Certification replaces the previous AP E-cert system.
At each step of the production process, operators need to add information to MPI Trade Certification. At the end of the process, the exporter uses MPI Trade Certification to apply for the export certificate.
It is mandatory to use MPI Trade Certification for some markets and strongly recommended for all others.
MPI Trade Certification is accessed through the MyMPI portal.
New exporters and operators need to register their business for MPI Trade Certification.
Who can register
To use MPI Trade Certification, your company must be either:
- a registered exporter under the Animal Products Act 1999
- a business with a registered risk management programme (RMP) or regulated control scheme (RCS)
- an export-approved premises (EAP), or
- an agent acting for another company that is registered as one of the above.
Once your business is registered for MPI Trade Certification, individual staff members can request access through MyMPI.
Using MPI Trade Certification
If your destination market requires an export certificate, you need to apply for it through MPI Trade Certification. We explain how to register for MPI Trade Certification in the previous step.
Find out more about MPI Trade Certification
You access MPI Trade Certification through MyMPI.
The information and declarations you, or the operators you work with, have entered about the production of your seafood products confirm that they comply with requirements.
Request approval of your certificate
After requesting an export certificate in MPI Trade Certification, you need to email or phone an MPI certification team. Let them know that you have requested an export certificate, and they will confirm whether there’s anything else you need to do.
Find contact details for MPI signing offices
Getting your export certificate
When MPI is satisfied that your products comply with all requirements and standards, we issue the export certificate through MPI Trade Certification.
Some markets may require the export certificate to be printed by MPI on security paper.
For more information, see the OMAR and the Official Assurance Requirements Notice.
Animal Products Notice: Official Assurance Requirements [PDF, 569 KB]