Sourcing Canned Salmon from China
The supplied canned Atlantic salmon line carries 4% UK duty, with no listed trade remedy or suspension. Other salmon species need separate code confirmation. Check factory approval and the applicable veterinary documents before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources canned salmon.
Atlantic salmon duty and import controls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 1604 covers prepared or preserved fish and fish eggs. The supplied Atlantic salmon line, 1604 11 00 30, covers whole fish or pieces, not minced, and carries 4% duty for goods from China. It lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows buying formats sharing this supplied code, rather than different tariff lines.
The line attaches veterinary, illegal fishing and organic import controls. Confirm with your broker and the relevant import authority whether an approved fishery-products establishment, advance notification and entry through a designated border control post are required, along with the applicable health certification and veterinary entry document. The tariff attaches an illegal fishing control: ask your broker to confirm the catch documentation or aquaculture exemption for the actual supply chain. For farmed salmon, also ask about China-specific residue checks.
For organic salmon, confirm certification and the certificate of inspection with your organic control body before ordering; the exporter's control body issues that certificate. Confirm the commodity code from the species, recipe and whether the fish is in pieces or minced. The supplied facts do not establish a canned Pacific salmon rate. See the wider prepared fish guide for other products.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canned Atlantic salmon pieces in brine | 1604 11 00 30 | 4% | None |
Specify the salmon, filling and can
Name the salmon species explicitly. Agree whether the contents are solid pieces, chunks or flakes, and whether skin and softened bones are retained. Specify the packing medium, salt, added oil and other ingredients. Record net weight and the agreed drained-weight specification where applicable, rather than buying by can size alone.
Agree colour, firmness, flake size and flavour against a retained sample. Specify the opening method, internal coating, seam acceptance criteria and carton protection. Ask for heat-processing records, commercial-sterility evidence and support for the proposed shelf life. Approve storage instructions and label artwork before printing.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative palletised wholesale order of canned Atlantic salmon pieces in brine under 1604 11 00 30, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £34,000. Duty at 4% is £1,360. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £35,360, so it is £7,072. Import taxes total £8,432; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,360 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This assumes the goods are standard-rated for VAT. Most food for human consumption is zero-rated, and animal feed can be too, in which case no import VAT is due, so check the rate for your product in HMRC's VAT Notice 701/14.
Inspection checklist
Documents: match the species, factory approval, applicable import documents and batch identification to the shipment.
Can integrity: inspect seams, leakage, swelling, rust and dents near the seam; isolate suspect cans and investigate before releasing stock.
Contents: measure net weight and applicable drained weight, and compare fish pieces, skin, bones, colour and texture with the agreed sample.
Labels: check the food name, ingredients with allergens emphasised, net quantity, applicable drained weight, date mark, storage instructions and food business name and UK address.
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What goes wrong
A quote says only salmon, while the sample and shipment contain different species or different proportions of skin, bones and broken pieces. The Atlantic salmon code should not be carried over to another species without checking. Put the species, preparation and retained sample into the purchase specification.
Seam damage, swelling, leakage and inadequate drained weight can make an apparently acceptable shipment unusable. Strong seasoning can also hide a change in the agreed flavour. Investigate suspect cans, compare batch records and arrange appropriate laboratory checks. Use the inspection guide to define the arrival checks.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on canned salmon from China?
The supplied Atlantic salmon line, 1604 11 00 30, carries 4%, with no listed trade remedy or suspension. Confirm other salmon species separately.
Can I import canned salmon from a Chinese factory?
Check the exporting country and factory approval, supply chain and applicable import documents before ordering. A tariff code alone does not establish eligibility.
Does canned salmon need a catch certificate?
The tariff attaches an illegal fishing control and notes an exemption for aquaculture products obtained from fry or larvae. Ask your broker to confirm the documents for your salmon.
What should I inspect when canned salmon arrives?
Check seams, leaks, swelling, rust, batch markings, net weight and applicable drained weight. Compare species, pieces, skin, bones and texture with the specification.