New Zealand (NZ)

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (hereafter referred to as “the Department”) is the Australian government authority responsible for export registration, inspection and certification of Australian food and agricultural exports.

All premises involved in the production of fish and fish products for export, including fishing vessels where fish is prepared for export must be registered with the Department. For more information or assistance with the export registration process contact the departments Dairy, Eggs and Fish Program at dairyeggsfish@agriculture.gov.au.

For some fish and fish products exported to NZ - the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA) and the Export Control (Fish & Fish Product) Rules 2021 permits the export of fish from Australia to NZ without the requirement for obtaining an export permit or requiring the manufacturers to be export registered.

However, if certification is required, the products must be sourced, prepared and exported in an establishment (including fishing vessels) that is registered by the Department and in accordance with the requirements of the Export Control (Fish & Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Exceptions to establishment list and overseas registration

Preparation of goods at an export registered establishment and an export permit is not required if you are exporting the following as these goods are not prescribed under the Export Control (Fish & Fish Products) Rules 2021;

1. (a) liquid fish and liquid fish products exported in a consignment of not more than 10 litres;
2. (b) dried fish and dried fish products (other than dried abalone) exported in a consignment of not more than 2 kilograms;
3. (c) fish products where fish or fish products are not the major component;
4. (d) fish or fish products that are animal food or pharmaceutical material;
5. (e) fish or fish products not covered by paragraphs (a) to (d) (other than dried abalone) exported in a consignment of not more than 10 kilograms;
6. (f) fish or fish products in the form of a tablet or capsule;
7. (g) fish or fish products for export to New Zealand.

Live fish

New Zealand has not developed Import Health Standards for any live fish (marine or freshwater origin) exported from Australia. In the absence of Import Health Standards, these goods are not permitted to be imported into New Zealand.

Freshwater finfish and their products

With the exception of Salmonids, New Zealand has not developed Import Health Standards for any freshwater finfish (any fish species that spends a part of its life cycle in fresh water) or their products exported from Australia. In the absence of Import Health Standards, goods are not permitted to be imported into New Zealand.

Sourcing of fish and fish products

Not all fish and fish products can be exported to New Zealand. Refer to Section 1.3 and 1.4 for information.

Sourcing, slaughter and post-mortem inspection of crocodiles

New Zealand has no known additional requirements for sourcing, slaughter and post-mortem inspection of crocodiles that differ from those required by the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

New Zealand has no known additional requirements for microbial sampling of fish and fish products that differ from those required in the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

New Zealand has no known specific operational hygiene requirements that differ from those required by the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

New Zealand has no known additional requirements for premises and equipment that differ from those required in the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

New Zealand has not developed Import Health Standards for any live fish and fish products (marine or freshwater origin) exported from Australia. In the absence of Import Health Standards, these goods are not permitted to be imported into New Zealand.

Marine finfish

New Zealand only permits the importation of marine finfish for human consumption where the requirements for the production of non-viable finfish does not differ from those required by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Salmonids

Unless retorted and shelf-stable, products containing more than 5% Salmonids require export certification and must meet the import requirements as per the Import Health Standard for the Importation into New Zealand of Salmonids for Human Consumption from Australia (FISSALIC.AUS). In addition to the production requirements of the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021, Salmonids exported to New Zealand:

1. must be eviscerated; and
2. must be individually inspected and graded to ensuring the product is free from visible lesions associated with infectious disease and fit for human consumption.
   

Bivalves

Certification is required. Oysters, mussels and other bivalve molluscs exported to New Zealand must have been shelled and either cooked, dried or frozen. Bivalve molluscs may be imported whether of marine or freshwater origin.

Cephalopods

Certification is required – the product must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021 with no known additional or differing importing country requirements.

Crustaceans

Certification is required. Crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters, prawns, scampi, crayfish, shrimps exported to New Zealand must be frozen or processed and may be imported whether of marine or freshwater origin.

Echinoderms

Certification is required – the product must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021 with no known additional or differing importing country requirements.

Gastropods

Certification is required. All abalone imported into New Zealand must have the shell removed and must be cooked. The cooking process used must ensure that all protein in the product is coagulated.

In addition to the production requirements of the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021, Haliotis (abalone) exported to New Zealand.

1. must be shelled and heat treated to a core temperature of 55°C for 10 minutes.

Tunicates

Certification is required – the product must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021 with no known additional or differing importing country requirements.

Certification is required. Crocodile listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and requires wildlife trade certificate. Eligibility for importation under import health standard for crocodile meat products is confined to farmed crocodile meat products from Australia.

Fish and fish products for human consumption

Fish and fish products for human consumption New Zealand has no known specific requirements for packaging in addition to those provided in the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

Fish and fish products for human consumption other than marine finfish

New Zealand has no known specific requirements for labelling and trade description in addition to those provided in the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

New Zealand has no known specific requirements for use-by dates and/or shelf-life restrictions in addition to those provided in the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

New Zealand has no known specific requirements for shipping marks (port marks).

New Zealand has no known specific requirements for shipping and airfreight in addition to those provided in the Food Standards Code or Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021.

For Salmonids, crocodile meat and marine fish products for human consumption the Department is not aware of any specific requirements for an import permit.

Marine Fisheries products for human consumption

Upon arrival in New Zealand the documentation accompanying the consignment shall be inspected by an Inspector at the port of arrival. The Inspector may also inspect the consignment, or a sample of the consignment.

New Zealand has not developed Import Health Standards for any live fish and fish products marine or freshwater origin exported from Australia. In the absence of Import Health Standards, these goods are not permitted to be imported into New Zealand.

Finfish (Species other than Salmonids)

For finfish, with the exception of Salmonids, use NZEXF.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Salmonids

For products containing more than 5% Salmonids, not including those that are retorted and shelf-stable, use an NZEXF with endorsement 524.

The NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Endorsement 524 – New Zealand - of the Family Salmonidae

Zoosanitary information:

1. The product for export is derived from fish within the genera Oncorhynchus, Salmo and/or Salvelinus.
2. The product for export is derived from fish that were harvested from a population for which a documented health surveillance programme exists which is administered by a competent government-authorised agency.
3. The product for export is derived from fish that were not slaughtered as an official disease control measure as a result of an outbreak of disease.
4. During processing the fish were:
   1. eviscerated, and
   2. individually inspected and graded, ensuring the product for export is free from visible lesions associated with infectious disease and fit for human consumption.

Bivalves

For bivalves, use NZEXF.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Cephalopods

For cephalopods, use NZEXF.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Crustaceans

For crustaceans, use NZEXF.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Echinoderms

For echinoderms, use NZEXF.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Gastropods

For gastropods, use NZEXF.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

In sound condition

Fit for human consumption

Of Australian origin

Tunicates

For tunicates, use NZEXF.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

As crocodiles are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) species database, you must apply for an Australian permit in order to export from Australia. If you do not obtain a permit before consignment, your item may be seized. For further details, or to obtain a permit, refer to the Department.

For crocodile meat, use NZEXF with endorsement 523.

NZEXF contains the following attestations:

I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed goods described above, being goods that are:

1. In sound condition
2. Fit for human consumption
3. Of Australian origin

Endorsement 523 – New Zealand Crocodile

1. The meat was derived from crocodiles farmed and slaughtered in Australia.
2. The products are derived from farmed crocodiles of Australian origin and processed in accordance with the Australian Standard for Hygienic Production of Crocodile Meat for Human Consumption.

Fish products not for human consumption are considered to be non-prescribed goods (NPGs). NPGs are not regulated by the Export Control (Fish and Fish Products) Rules 2021. Establishments processing such products are not required to be export registered with the Department.

​The Department has no knowledge of prohibited products. Exporters should check with their importers to determine if the products are permitted for import to New Zealand.