Sourcing frozen whole sea urchins from China

10% duty does not establish import permission

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 0308 covers aquatic invertebrates other than crustaceans and molluscs. Frozen whole sea urchins of the listed species fall under 0308 22 00 00, carrying 10% duty from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is recorded. The species examples in the table share this code; they are not separate tariff subdivisions.

China is not approved to supply echinoderms, including sea urchins, for human consumption into Great Britain. Frozen whole sea urchins from China therefore cannot be imported for food. The tariff nevertheless attaches veterinary control. For an otherwise admissible supply, confirm country and establishment approval, advance notification through IPAFFS, appropriate health certification, the designated border control post and the Common Health Entry Document with your broker. These procedures do not establish permission for a Chinese supply.

The tariff also attaches illegal fishing and organic import controls. Ask your broker to confirm catch-certificate applicability and any aquaculture exemption for the species and production method. For organic food imports from China, confirm inspection-certificate requirements with your organic control body; organic documentation does not overcome the product restriction. Confirm species, frozen condition and processing through our commodity code guide. For the wider sea urchin discussion, see sea urchin roe.

Specify the whole animal and usable contents

Resolve import eligibility before agreeing production or shipping. For specification discussions, identify the scientific species, harvest origin, wild or farmed production, and raw or cooked condition. Describe the product as frozen whole animals with the shell and contents present, rather than separated roe.

Agree shell size grading, acceptable shell damage, packing protection, glaze declaration and product weight excluding glaze. Use a thawed sample to agree edible yield, colour, firmness and drip loss. Record the intended preparation before eating and ask for the supplier's freezing, storage and transport records.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative hypothetical order: 2 tonnes of frozen whole sea urchins; arithmetic only, not an admissible China food import under 0308 22 00 00, 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 10% is £1,750. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,250, so it is £3,850. Import taxes total £5,600; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,750 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: for any legally admissible supply, match the scientific species, whole form, origin and batch references against the specification and documents.

Shells and packs: check for crushed shells, loose fragments, punctured liners, leaking packs and inadequate protection between animals.

Frozen condition: review temperature records and inspect for soft product, pooled liquid, heavy ice accumulation and damaged seals.

Usable contents: weigh product after the agreed deglazing method, then thaw samples to compare edible yield, colour, firmness and drip loss with the approved sample.

What goes wrong

A supplier's general seafood approval can be mistaken for permission to supply frozen whole sea urchins. China lacks the relevant echinoderm approval for food imports into Great Britain. Do not book a shipment on the strength of the tariff code or duty calculation. Failure to comply with import regulations can lead to return or destruction at the importer's expense.

Whole weight can conceal low edible yield, while broken shells and thawing can leave contents unsuitable for the buyer's intended preparation. Agree sampling and thawing methods before assessing any legally admissible alternative supply. 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.