It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that the animal meets the importing country requirements.
Refer to the Department’s websites for current information about exporting animals (including any suspensions).
- Notes
- Where an importing country issues an import permit, the exporter must ensure the animal meets any requirements in the permit.
- Establishments exporting aquatic animals to the Republic of Korea must be registered with the National Fishery Products Quality Management Service (NFQS). Contact your Korean importer to ensure all required registrations are complete prior to export.
- The NFQS registration period is 2 years and a request to extend validity must be made at least 7 days before expiration to maintain registration. Export establishments requiring renewal should request this through their importer.
- These aquatic animal conditions do not apply to amphibians, which are not permitted to be exported to the Republic of Korea from 5 July 2025.
Health certification
The following certificate is for farmed (aquaculture) animals only.
Each page of the health certificate must be signed and stamped.
Health certificate
I, Dr ………………………………, a duly authorised government veterinary officer, hereby certify that:
1. The animals and/or reproductive material originate(s) from:
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2. The animals and/or animal reproductive material is/are declared free from the following diseases, cited in Annex 1 of the Aquatic Life Disease Control Act of the Republic of Korea:
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Instructions
The following is for information only (to assess the diseases by species). These instructions should not be attached to the health certificate that goes with the consignment.
- If the species being exported is/are not listed, a health certificate is not required.
- If the animals are wild-caught, a health certificate is not required. (The certificate is for farmed (aquaculture) animals only).
- Certifying officers are required to complete declaration 2, on page 2, of the health certificate - refer Attachment 1 - by adding the disease or diseases to which the exported species are considered to be susceptible. Lists of diseases and the relevant susceptible species are provided in the enclosed spreadsheets.
- There are three lists comprising the spreadsheets: one each for finfish (sheet 1), molluscs (sheet 2) and crustaceans (sheet 3). Each lists species alphabetically.
- Some species are susceptible to more than one disease. If that is the case, all of the diseases to which the species are susceptible must be included in declaration 2. For example, the finfish species
Oncorhynchus mykiss is considered susceptible to six diseases, being epizootic haematopoietic necrosis, gyrodactylosis, infectious salmon anaemia, spring viraemia of carp, infectious pancreatic necrosis and viral haemorrhagic septicaemia.
- If a consignment comprises multiple species and the species concerned are susceptible to different diseases, correlated entries at declaration 2 must be made accordingly. The partially completed specimen certificate attached - refer Attachment 2 - demonstrates how the declaration should be completed in these circumstances, using
Crassostrea gigas (a mollusc) and
Oncorhynchus mykiss as example species.
- If a single species comprises a consignment, or there are multiple species but they are all susceptible to the same disease(s), it is necessary to identify only the disease(s) concerned in declaration 2, i.e. it is not necessary to identify the species in the manner used in the specimen certificate at Attachment 2 - species identification under 'Description of Animals' on page 1 of the health certificate is sufficient.
- Declaration of freedom from disease(s) can be made if
Australia's National List of Reportable Diseases of Aquatic Animals1 :
-
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/notifiable
- - declares the disease to be exotic to Australia.
- Where country-wide freedom from a disease cannot be declared because
Australia's National List of Reportable Diseases of Aquatic Animals does not state that it is exotic (to Australia), it may still be possible to certify disease freedom if the State or Territory from which the animals originate can declare State/Territory freedom. In these cases, the exporter should be directed to an appropriate State or Territory government agency asking that the agency provide a statement, on official letterhead, declaring:
- The animals and/or animal reproductive material is/are declared free from the following diseases, cited in Annex 1 of the
Aquatic Animal Diseases Control Act of Korea
- - disease name: <INSERT DISEASE NAME(S)>
- Certification should not be issued unless the exporter can deliver the letterhead statement to AQIS exactly as quoted above. As of 1 December 2010, only the Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) in the State of Tasmania has confirmed that it will provide this statement. The diseases that DPIPWE2 will declare Tasmania to be free from are epizootic ulcerative syndrome and epizootic haematopoietic necrosis. Other states and territories either have one or more of the diseases concerned, or have not advised that they will provide the required letterhead declaration.
- All crustacean species must be declared free from white spot disease, as well as any other disease(s) to which a particular species is considered susceptible.
1 Refer to the right-hand column of the list entitled 'Exotic to Australia'. Australia claims freedom from a disease if it is said to be exotic - signified by the word "Yes" in the column.
2 Confirmed by Dr Kevin Ellard, Senior Veterinary Officer, Aquatic Health, DPIPWE Animal Disease Control, New Town Laboratories 13 St Johns Avenue, New Town, Tasmania 7008.
Permission to move aquatic animals out of Australia
You may need permission under wildlife trade laws to move aquatic animals out of Australia. Refer to the
Department’s International and wildlife trade requirements.
- Email
-
wildlifetrade@dcceew.gov.au
Export from Australia of Australian native hatchery bred fingerlings or ova should be accompanied by approval of the hatchery facility from the appropriate State or Federal authority. Refer to the Department’s Exporting fish and fish products from Australia for information about exports for human consumption.Transport requirements
The importing country may have specific transport requirements and you should check this.
Pre and post arrival quarantine requirements
The importing country may have specific pre and post arrival quarantine requirements and you should check this.
Based on a health certificate agreed in 2021.
Entry last reviewed 7 April 2025.
