Sourcing chilled sea bream from China

14% on the supplied other sea bream line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 0302 covers fresh or chilled fish, excluding fillets and other fish meat. The supplied sea bream line is 0302 85 90 00, described as sea bream, other, carrying 14% duty from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is recorded. The table shows purchasing forms sharing this supplied line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The line carries veterinary, illegal fishing and organic import controls. For Great Britain, arrange the relevant health certificate and ask port health to confirm establishment approval, advance notification through IPAFFS and entry through a designated border control post. The tariff requires a CHED-P. Ask port health to confirm whether wild-caught supplies need a validated catch certificate; the tariff exempts aquaculture products obtained from fry or larvae from that fishing control.

Confirm the scientific species and presentation before using the other sea bream line; the supplied data does not establish a duty range for every sea bream species. Use our commodity code guide. For the wider heading, see fresh and chilled fish. Confirm Northern Ireland arrangements separately.

Specify the species, preparation and chilled delivery

Write the scientific species, farmed or wild origin, production or catch area, individual weight grade and permitted size variation into the purchase specification. State whether fish is whole, gutted, scaled or headed. Agree product weight excluding packing ice, pack construction, drainage and the remaining shelf life you will accept on arrival.

Check the establishment's approval against the exact product before ordering. Ask port health to confirm any additional China-specific residue testing and official declaration for farmed supplies. Agree the health documents and border route before dispatch, using factory verification to check the supplier's identity and processing site.

If buying as organic, confirm with the relevant organic import authority whether each consignment from China into Great Britain needs a certificate of inspection. The exporter’s control body issues that certificate in the country of export. Resolve certification before approving organic packaging.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative hypothetical order: 2 tonnes of chilled whole sea bream classified as other under 0302 85 90 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,000. Duty at 14% is £2,800. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,800, so it is £4,560. Import taxes total £7,360; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,800 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

Identity and documents: match species, production method, establishment details and batch markings across cartons, invoice and health documents; check the catch certificate for wild supplies.

Temperature and freshness: measure product temperature against the agreed receiving specification and review transit records. Examine eyes, gills, odour and flesh firmness; record soft flesh, discolouration and damaged skin.

Preparation and weight: sample fish across cartons, check the size distribution and weigh fish separately from packing ice. Inspect gut removal, belly cleanliness, scaling and head cuts against the order.

Packs and labels: check drainage, leakage, crushed boxes and batch legibility. Ask the relevant food labelling authority to confirm the English information required on retail packs, including species, production method and area, allergens, storage and the appropriate business address.

What goes wrong

A supplier's sea bream name can conceal a species mismatch, while an order for gutted fish can arrive partly cleaned or with inconsistent trimming. Size variation and packing ice can also obscure the quantity of usable fish. Keep photographs of the agreed presentation and define the weighing method before dispatch.

Delays and interrupted chilling can leave fish with soft flesh or little remaining shelf life. Certificate discrepancies can delay border clearance, so review documents before loading and arrange prompt chilled collection. Record arrival condition before accepting the batch; our inspection guide explains how to organise 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.