Sourcing frozen whole fish from China

8% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, frozen whole tilapia, catfish and carp carried 8% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure, and the lines carry a veterinary control. Fillets are in heading 0304 and other species have their own lines and rates, so the species decides the commodity code; see the frozen fish fillets guide. For minced products, see our guide to sourcing frozen minced fish blocks. For other fish preparations, see our guide to dried, salted and smoked fish. For UK fish exports to China, see exporting mackerel and herring. For salmonids, see our guide to exporting UK salmon and trout to China. For unminced products, see our guide to sourcing frozen unminced fish trimmings. For fish tongues, see our frozen fish tongue sourcing guide.

Border checks, residues and catch documents

Fish must come from an establishment approved for Great Britain with the model health certificate, be notified in IPAFFS before arrival and enter through a border control post, where documentary checks are made and identity and physical checks are carried out at risk-based inspection rates, with applicable charges. Farmed fish must also come from a country listed for the residue monitoring of aquaculture products, and prohibited veterinary medicines such as malachite green and nitrofurans must not be present. For other seafood purchases, see our aquatic invertebrate sourcing guide.

Wild-caught fish needs a validated catch certificate under the illegal fishing rules, while fish farmed from fry or larvae is outside them. Eels need particular care, because the European eel is listed under CITES. See the frozen squid and octopus guide and food labelling and contact rules.

Worked duty example

A hypothetical shipment, not a quote: 20,000 kg of frozen whole tilapia under 0303 23 00 00, bought for £30,000 free on board with £4,000 of refrigerated freight and insurance, so the customs value is £34,000. Duty at 8% is £2,720; frozen catfish and carp carry the same 8%. Fish is food and zero-rated for VAT, so no import VAT is due, but border control post charges and cold storage come on top. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Residues and plant: each lot tested at an accredited laboratory for veterinary drug residues including malachite green, leucomalachite green and nitrofuran metabolites before shipment, the approved establishment number checked against the GB list and matched on cartons and the health certificate, and species confirmed on samples.

Glaze and weight: net weight measured after deglazing by a recognised method such as AOAC 963.18 on cartons from several pallets, compared with the declared net weight and glaze percentage, and size grades counted per carton against the specification.

Cold chain and labels: core temperature measured on loading and on arrival against the -18°C required for quick-frozen food by the Quick-frozen Foodstuffs (England) Regulations 2007, the container's temperature log reviewed for thaw and refreeze, and labels checked for the commercial name, production method and catch or farming area.

What goes wrong

Frozen fish fails on residues, glaze and cold chain. Lots test positive for banned veterinary drug residues and are destroyed at the border, glaze is heavier than declared so the buyer pays for ice, and fish thaws and refreezes in transit so texture and colour suffer. Size grades are mixed, the health certificate or plant number does not match the cartons, and species are substituted.

Test each lot for veterinary drug residues including malachite green and nitrofurans at an accredited laboratory before shipping, measure net weight after deglazing, check size grading and species, keep a temperature logger in each container, and match plant approval number, health certificate and carton marks before the IPAFFS notification.

Cambridge China Bridge sources frozen whole tilapia, catfish, carp and other fish from approved plants, with residue tests and border paperwork arranged before shipment. See our frozen fish sourcing. For other frozen seafood purchases, see our frozen squid and octopus sourcing guide.