Sourcing frozen minced fish blocks from China
The selected frozen minced fish lines carry 6% to 14% UK duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded. Confirm plant approval, health paperwork and border arrangements with the relevant authority or your customs broker; for wild-caught fish, also confirm catch-document requirements. Cambridge China Bridge sources frozen minced fish blocks.
Duty depends on the fish species
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 0304 covers fish fillets and other fish meat, whether or not minced, fresh, chilled or frozen. This guide concerns frozen minced fish blocks. The selected cod, Argentine hake and other specified whitefish lines carry 6% duty from China; the selected herring line carries 14%.
No anti-dumping or countervailing measure or suspension is recorded for the selected lines. Elsewhere in this family, processing-use Patagonian grenadier under 0304 95 90 14 has a 0.00 % authorised-use suspension subject to customs supervision. The selected lines carry veterinary, illegal fishing and organic import controls. Confirm with the relevant authority or your customs broker whether the shipment requires an approved plant, health certificate, advance notification and a designated border control post. For wild-caught fish, also confirm whether a validated catch certificate and a processing statement are required.
For organic blocks, the certificate of inspection is issued by the exporter’s control body; confirm the applicable organic import requirements with your customs broker before ordering. Confirm the commodity code from the species, composition, presentation and intended processing. These table descriptions assume minced meat matching the underlying species line. See the frozen fish fillets guide for the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen Atlantic cod mince, other | 0304 95 25 90 | 6% | None |
| Frozen Argentine hake mince for processing | 0304 95 50 20 | 6% | None |
| Other frozen fish mince of the specified whitefish families | 0304 95 90 90 | 6% | None |
| Frozen herring mince, other | 0304 99 23 90 | 14% | None |
Specify the mince and the frozen block
Specify the commercial and scientific species names, wild or farmed origin, whether species are mixed, and whether the product is plain mince or washed fish paste. Record any added water, salt, sugar or other ingredients. Agree a reference sample and a cooked trial using your intended recipe.
Set block weight and dimensions to suit your cutting and mixing equipment. Agree mince texture, acceptable bone and skin content, colour, odour, thaw loss and pack construction. Compare plain mince and washed fish paste separately because their behaviour in a finished recipe can differ.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of frozen Atlantic cod mince blocks under 0304 95 25 90, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,500. Duty at 6% is £1,050. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,550, so it is £3,710. Import taxes total £4,760; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,050 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, batch references, plant approval and carton details to the health certificate, catch certificate and any Chinese processing statement.
Weight and block shape: weigh sampled blocks without wrapping, check dimensions and inspect for voids, broken corners and damaged liners.
Condition and texture: review transport temperature records, inspect for freezer burn and thawing, and compare thaw loss, odour and cooked texture with the agreed sample.
Bones and composition: examine thawed samples for bones, skin and foreign matter; use laboratory checks for species, moisture and protein where needed. Plan sampling through the quality inspection guide.
What goes wrong
A block can meet its gross weight while yielding too little usable fish after thawing. Excess water, variable mince texture, skin fragments and bones can spoil a recipe or interrupt processing. Blocks with uneven dimensions or internal voids can also cut poorly. Agree the sampling and thawing method before comparing batches.
Paperwork can fail independently of product quality. A catch certificate, processing statement or health certificate that does not match the cartons can hold up clearance. Check the factory’s approval before ordering and reconcile the documents before shipment. Keep the batch identity attached to samples and arrival records.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on frozen fish mince from China?
The selected cod, Argentine hake and other specified whitefish lines carry 6%; the selected herring line carries 14%. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure is recorded for these lines.
Can I buy frozen fish mince from any Chinese factory?
Before ordering, confirm with the relevant authority or your customs broker whether the establishment needs approval for the relevant fishery products and check its status. Also confirm the applicable health certificate, advance notification and border control post arrangements.
Does fish minced in China need a catch certificate?
For wild-caught fish, confirm catch-certificate requirements with the relevant authority or your customs broker. If processed in China from another country’s catch, also confirm whether an endorsed Chinese processing statement linking the product to that catch is needed.
How do I check the quality of a frozen mince block?
Check unwrapped weight, dimensions, bones, skin, thaw loss and cooked texture against an agreed sample. Review temperature records and investigate species or composition differences with laboratory testing.