Sourcing
Farmed finfish sourcing: salmon, trout, tilapia, sea bass and pangasius
Short answer: a farmed fish request needs the species, form (whole, gutted, fillet or portion), size grade, trim, fresh or frozen state and the delivery window your cold chain can hold. Destination rules then decide which plants are eligible and which documents travel with each consignment. FishMatch reviews each request by hand; it does not hold stock or sell fish.
What this page covers
- Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout
- Tilapia, pangasius and catfish
- European sea bass, gilthead sea bream, barramundi and other farmed marine fish
- Whole round, gutted, headed and gutted, fillets, portions, loins and steaks — fresh or frozen
Customs codes
- HS Chapter 03 headings for fish: 0302 (fresh or chilled), 0303 (frozen), 0304 (fillets)
- HS 030212 — whole fresh or chilled salmon in the 2024 trade statistics on this site
Not on this page
Shrimp has its own pages. Building or expanding a fish farm is an aquaculture project request, not a seafood request.
Farmed finfish RFQ checklist
- Species by scientific name and production method (sea cages, ponds, RAS, flow-through).
- Form: whole round, gutted, headed and gutted, fillet (skin-on or skinless, pin-bone in or out), portion, loin or steak.
- Size grade per fish or per fillet, and the trim specification your buyers use.
- Fresh or frozen; for fresh fish, the latest harvest-to-delivery time and the shelf life you need on arrival; for frozen, freezing method and glaze.
- Quality specifications you will check on arrival (for example colour for salmon, texture, gaping, parasites).
- Certification you require from the producer — ask for the certificate number so you can verify it yourself.
- Packing: box type, ice or gel packs for fresh fish, net weight per box, labels and private label.
- Volume per week or per shipment, season and programme length.
- Destination, airport or port of entry, and Incoterm.
- Documents: health certificate, establishment approval or registration number, and any species-specific certificate (for example for whole salmonids into the US).
- Residue and microbiological testing you require and who pays.
- Programme value: FishMatch manages requests from USD 250,000 per programme or project; smaller requests are saved and pointed to free tools.
Regulations by destination
Farmed fish follows the same eligibility and certificate logic as other seafood, with species-specific points for salmonids and whole fish. Summaries below link to the official source.
Official pages last checked 23 October 2026. General orientation, not legal or import advice; rules change.
European Union
- The exporting country must be authorised for the product, and the producing establishment must be on the EU list of authorised non-EU establishments.
- The importer pre-notifies each consignment at the border control post with a CHED-P in TRACES; documentary, identity and physical checks follow.
- The consignment travels with the official health certificate model for the product, signed by the exporting country's competent authority.
- Fresh fish must be kept at a temperature approaching that of melting ice and frozen fish at not more than −18 °C (Regulation 853/2004).
- A catch certificate is needed for wild-caught fish only; aquaculture products obtained from fry or larvae are outside the IUU Regulation's scope.
Official sources
- EU entry conditions (European Commission)
- EU lists of authorised non-EU establishments
- TRACES (European Commission)
- Regulation (EC) 853/2004 (EUR-Lex)
- IUU Regulation FAQ, May 2023 (European Commission)
Country guides: European Union
Spain
- Spain applies the EU rules above. The importer, directly or through a customs representative, pre-notifies the consignment to the official control service at a Spanish border control post using the CHED-P in TRACES NT.
- Check that the border control post you will use is listed for your product category.
Official sources
- Spanish Ministry of Health: border control posts for products for human consumption
- Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: import requirements for fishery and aquaculture products (Oct 2025)
Country guides: Spain
United States
- There is no EU-style list of approved foreign plants: foreign facilities register with FDA, processors must meet FDA seafood HACCP (21 CFR Part 123), and importers must verify that their suppliers comply.
- FDA Prior Notice must be submitted and confirmed before arrival — at least 8 hours before arrival by water, 4 hours by air.
- Finfish are on FDA's Food Traceability List; Congress directed FDA not to enforce the Food Traceability Rule before 20 July 2028.
- Dead uneviscerated salmonids (for example whole-round salmon or trout), live salmonids and their eggs need the certification set out in 50 CFR 16.13 under the Lacey Act's injurious-wildlife rules.
- NOAA's Seafood Import Monitoring Program covers listed species groups only; check whether your species is on it.
Official sources
- 21 CFR Part 123 — fish and fishery products (eCFR)
- FDA Prior Notice of imported foods
- FDA Food Traceability List
- 50 CFR 16.13 — importation of live or dead fish, mollusks, crustaceans and their eggs (eCFR)
- NOAA: HTS codes subject to SIMP
Country guides: United States
China
- The overseas producer must be registered with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) after recommendation by its own competent authority (Decree 248, in force since 1 January 2022).
- The Chinese registration number, or the number approved by the producer's own authority, must be marked on inner and outer packaging.
- An official certificate agreed between the two countries' authorities may be required; check the current bilateral requirement with your Chinese importer.
Official sources
Country guides: China
Japan
- The importer submits an import notification under the Food Sanitation Act (Article 27) to the quarantine station for the port of clearance; inspectors may sample for residues and additives.
- Whether an official certificate is needed depends on the product and origin; confirm with the quarantine station before shipping.
Official sources
Country guides: Japan
Norway
- Norway is in the European Economic Area: EU veterinary and food-safety legislation applies there through the EEA Agreement, so EU-type certificates and border checks apply to fishery products from outside the EEA.
- Controls are carried out by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet).
- Norway is also the largest exporter of fresh whole salmon; buyers sourcing Norwegian fish apply their own country's import rules.
Official sources
- EFTA: agriculture, fisheries and food safety in the EEA
- Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet)
Country guides: Norway
How a request works
- You submit a structured request; it is private and free for buyers.
- A person on the FishMatch team clarifies it, replies within one business day and identifies suppliers that may fit.
- The team coordinates supplier questions and collects comparable information and quotes.
- We help you review specifications, terms, volumes, documents, logistics and risks.
- You decide; the team coordinates the next steps.
FishMatch is not the producer, seller, importer of record, inspection laboratory, customs broker or carrier, and does not guarantee supply, quality, compliance or approvals. Supplier checks are document and profile reviews, not on-site audits. Supplier communication goes through the FishMatch team.
Request farmed fish offers
Free for buyers. A person reviews your request and replies within one business day; supplier quote timing is never promised.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most important detail in a fresh fish request?
- The delivery window. Fresh fish has a short shelf life, so the harvest-to-delivery time, transport mode and required remaining shelf life decide which origins can supply you at all.
- Do I need a catch certificate for farmed salmon into the EU?
- No. The IUU catch certificate applies to wild-caught products; aquaculture products obtained from fry or larvae are outside its scope. The health certificate and an EU-listed establishment are still required.
- Does FishMatch verify certifications such as ASC or BAP?
- FishMatch asks producers for certificate numbers and passes them to you; you should check each number on the certification body's own register before relying on it.