New Zealand - Certification Requirements

Acts and Regulations

New Zealand Animal Product Act and Regulations 1999
Biosecurity Act 1993

Importation of trout and trout products into New Zealand for commercial use is prohibited.

This includes, but is not limited to the following trout species, either dead or alive, or any product containing:

Brown trout (Salmo trutta)
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
American brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
Cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki)
Golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita)
Gila trout (Oncorhynchus gilae)
Apache trout (Oncorhynchus apache)
Mexican trout (Oncorhynchus chyrsogaster)

or any hybrid of a fish listed above.

Personal/Private Consignment

Trout and trout products of an amount of not more than 10 kilograms can be imported from Canada for private consignment, i.e., imported in an airline passenger's personal effects or by mail. This product shall not be intended for sale in New Zealand. The fish must be headed, gutted and the gills removed and be commercially packaged. Product must also be eligible for biosecurity clearance at New Zealand borders.

Commercial Consignments for Direct Retail Sale

Commercial consignments of commercially packaged (non-trout) salmonids products from Canada may be exported to New Zealand. These products must be for direct retail sale and human consumption and require no further packaging and/or processing prior to retail sale or use in institutional trade. Commercial consignments do not require a permit to import but they:

i)  must be accompanied by export certification meeting Part D Zoosanitary Certification (CFIA/ACIA 5024 99/01 - Newz 11/96)
ii)  must be eligible for biosecurity clearance at New Zealand borders.

Importation of Bulk Product

The importation of product in bulk form (product which is intended to be further processed and/or packaged in New Zealand prior to retail sale or use in the institutional trade), requires a Permit to Import which is issued by the New Zealand Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). In order to obtain a Permit to Import, the importer must complete an application for this permit with the following information:

i)  name and address of importer;
ii)  name and address of exporter;
iii)  description and quantity of the salmonids for human consumption to be imported;
iv)  date of the proposed importation;
v)  name and address of the transitional facility (places approved under the Biosecurity Act for securely holding uncleared risk goods which have not been given a biosecurity clearance by an inspector *) to which the consignment is to proceed following importation;
vi)  a letter from the authorized supervisor of the transitional facility stating that the facility is registered and available for the dates proposed and has the capacity to accommodate the consignment proposed to be imported;
vii)  the transport method and route during importation into New Zealand, which is to be in accordance with all the requirements for transport to New Zealand, i.e., in compliance with the New Zealand Import Health Standard. Evidence of the transit authority from other countries on the transportation route must also be provided; and
viii)  the transport method and route during transfer from the port of arrival in New Zealand to the transitional facility.

* See definition at the following website:

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/

A Permit to Import will be granted on a single consignment basis only.

The importer requires a Permit to Import for all consignments of salmonids for human consumption imported into New Zealand from Canada. Application for a Permit to Import shall be made in writing, prior to the proposed date of importation, to:

Director of Animal Biosecurity
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
ASB Bank House
101-103 The Terrace
PO Box 2526
Wellington, New Zealand

Product Specification Standards:

There are restrictions on the use of food additives, antioxidants, colourings, flavourings and food conditioners.

Labelling and Marking Standard:

• the common name of the product
• the net weight or volume or number of the contents
• the name and address of the manufacturer, seller or agent

There are also requirements regarding size and colour of lettering and form and manner of labelling, as well as specific requirements for labelling of fish and fishery products and special requirements for fish mixtures, flavourings in fish pastes, salmon and shellfish.

For further information regarding any of the requirements and standards for Fish Importation into New Zealand, contact the address provided above.

Current applicable guidelines, standards and restrictions that can be applied to Canadian fish and fish products may be found at the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry website at:  
http://www.maf.govt.nz

Requirements will be consistent with the 1996 Mutal Recognition Agreement between Canada and New Zealand. The text of the agreement is available from the Government of Canada Web Archive which is maintained by Library and Archives Canada.

Tolerances or Guidelines

Mercury (total):	0.5 ppm
Arsenic:	1.0 ppm
Lead:	2.0 ppm
Fluorine:	10.0 ppm
Zinc:	40.0 ppm
Selenium:	2.0 ppm
Cadmium:	1.0 ppm
Tin:	150.0 ppm
Antimony:	1.0 ppm
Copper:	30.0 ppm

(These apply to fish and fish products on a fresh weight basis.)

Certification Requirements

Salmonids for Human Consumption:

For export of (non-trout) Salmonids, Fish Health Certificate (CFIA/ACIA 5024 99/01- Newz 11/96)

All Other Products:

Certificate of Origin and Hygiene (CFIA/ACIA 5003 97/08 - CFP 1404 11/96).