Registration of Overseas Manufacturers for Imported Aquatic Products

Fellow practitioners engaged in imported aquatic product trade: Decree No.280 of the General Administration of Customs of China, namely Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Registration Administration of Overseas Production Enterprises of Imported Food, took effect on June 1, while Decree No.248 was repealed simultaneously.Key points concerning the GACC registration of overseas manufacturers of imported aquatic products are sorted out as follows.

I. Classification of Aquatic Products & Mandatory Official Recommendation for Registration

In accordance with GACC Announcement No.27 of 2026, aquatic products are listed alongside high‑risk food categories such as meat products, dairy products and bird’s nest among the 17 food categories requiring official recommendation for registration.

Definition of "registration requiring official recommendation"

Simply put, overseas aquatic product manufacturers are not allowed to submit applications directly to Chinese Customs on their own. They must arrange for the competent authority of their home country (usually the fisheries administration or ministry of agriculture) to issue inspection reports and recommendation letters, and the competent authority shall submit the application documents on the enterprise’s behalf.Take a Chilean salmon processing plant exporting to China as an example: the plant shall first undergo inspection by Chile’s fisheries regulatory authority. Only after passing the local official inspection can the national competent authority formally recommend the enterprise to Chinese Customs for registration.

Cold storage facilities are also subject to registration. Pursuant to Announcement No.27, cold storages storing terrestrial animal‑derived food and aquatic products fall within the scope of registration administration. That means not only processing plants but also cold storage facilities in the cold‑chain logistics chain must obtain a GACC registration number; otherwise domestic cold‑chain operators cannot receive the shipments.

II. Six‑Step Procedures for GACC Registration of Overseas Aquatic Product Manufacturers

Step 1: Verify market access eligibility

Prior to initiating the registration process, check the official access list to confirm that the target aquatic product is included in the GACC‑published Catalogue of Countries/Regions Eligible for Exporting Food to China after Assessment and Review or with Traditional Trade Relations.

Step 2: Liaise with the domestic competent authority of the origin country

Since aquatic products belong to the 17 categories requiring official recommendation, manufacturers shall contact their national fisheries regulator or ministry of agriculture to learn the local official registration procedures and arrange official factory audits prior to official recommendation and application submission.

Step 3: Compile application documents

Prepare materials including the enterprise registration application form, enterprise qualification certificates, product specifications, production process documents, factory and workshop layout drawings, food safety and sanitation management system documents, and the inspection report issued by the origin country’s competent authority.

Step 4: Submit applications online

Upload all documents via the China Import Food Overseas Enterprise Registration System (CIFER).

Step 5: Undergo assessment and review conducted by Chinese Customs

Based on risk ratings, the General Administration of Customs carries out assessment via document review, video inspection or on‑site inspection. Applicants may track real‑time application progress in the CIFER system once complete documents are submitted.

Step 6: Confirm approval and print registration numbers on packaging

Upon approval, GACC will issue a formal China registration number, and the approved enterprise will be published on the CIFER enterprise roster. The assigned registration number must be clearly marked on the packaging of all products shipped to China.