Background

The National Marine Fisheries Service has implemented import restrictions on the following nine species of fish harvested in New Zealand’s West Coast North Island multispecies set-net and trawl fisheries: snapper, terakihi, spotted dogfish, trevally, warehou, hoki, barracouta, mullet, and gurnard. This action follows a preliminary injunction issued by the Court of International Trade banning such imports in a court case challenging the U.S. government’s failure to impose such restrictions to protect an endangered dolphin.

NMFS states that similar fish products harvested from other areas or with other types of fishing gear are eligible for entry into the U.S. market only when accompanied by a certification of admissibility validating origin from other than the restricted fisheries. Absent a COA, entry filings under the specified tariff codes will be rejected.

These import restrictions and COA requirement are effective as of Dec. 5, 2022, and until the CIT lifts the preliminary injunction.

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