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IMPORT AND EXPORT AUTHORISATION REQUIREMENTS FOR AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS
In terms of section 6 of the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act no 35 of 1984), no animal or animal product may be imported into or moved in transit through South Africa without the importer obtaining a veterinary import permit from the Department of Agriculture.
The veterinary services of the provincial department(s) of agriculture must be engaged for the export certification of live freshwater aquatic organisms.
Aquaculture is recognised as an agricultural activity and hence the state veterinary services have a mandate to protect the industry in terms of the Animal Disease Act, 1984.
commercial trade
of live and processed aquaculture product(s)
An import and / or export permit is required by the department for the import and/ or export of marine aquaculture product (refer to process and requirements on applying for a marine aquaculture permit).
The DFFE (Branch: Fisheries Management) Chief Directorate: Aquaculture Development and Freshwater Fisheries (ADFF) is the responsible authority for the issuing of import permits for marine ornamentals intended for display purposes (i.e. aquarium hobbyist or commercial aquarium) or intended for marine aquaculture (i.e. commercial production).
cites / tops species
If there are any CITES listed or TOPS species on an import permit application for marine ornamental species, then the applicant will have to apply for a CITES or TOPS permit through the relevant Branch: Biodiversity and Conservation, Chief Directorate: Specialist Monitoring Services, Directorate: Oceans Conservation Strategies.
international trade and administration commission
An International Trade and Administration Commission (ITAC) import permit notification is required for the import of frozen fish and fish products, which can be obtained from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTIC) import permit notification.
For further information on ITAC please contact:
Mbali Mahlangu
Tel: 012 394 3611
Fax: 012 394 0517
E-mail: mmahlangu@itac.org.za and / or
Sanjay Devnath
E-mail: sdevnath@itac.org.za
provincial veterinary authorities' contact details +
list of goods subject to import control measures
Goods subject to import control measures by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) when importing aquaculture product(s):
|
schedule 1 |
|
|
description of goods |
tariff heading |
|
|
|
|
Fish, fresh or chilled |
03.02 |
|
Fish, frozen |
03.03 |
|
Fish, fillets and other fish meat (whether or not minced), fresh, chilled or frozen |
03.04 |
|
Fish, dried, salted or in brine; smoked fish, whether or not cooked before or during the smoking process; fish meal fit for human consumption but excluding smoked salmon of subheading no. 0305.41 |
03.05 |
|
Crustaceans, whether in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine; crustaceans, in shell, cooked by steaming or by boiling in water, whether or not chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine |
03.06 |
|
|
|
involved in export certification for aquatic animals
Below is a list of provincial state veterinary authorities that have been nominated to undertake duties applicable to supporting export certification of freshwater aquatic animals and aquatic animal products within the different provinces.
|
province |
contact person and designation |
contact details |
|
Western Cape |
Dr Kokie Harris: State Veterinarian |
Tel: 021 887 0324 |
|
Eastern Cape |
Dr John Guma: State Veterinarian |
Cell: 072 654 6222 |
|
Limpopo |
Dr Dale Sithembiso Khoza: State Veterinarian |
Cell: 082 638 7057 |
|
Free State |
Dr Monique de Beer: State Veterinarian |
Cell: 061 489 7404 |
|
Gauteng |
Dr Gugulethu Moyo: Chief State Veterinarian |
Cell: 072 906 7422 / 084 690 0730 |
|
KwaZulu Natal |
Dr Thami Nogwebela: State Veterinarian |
Tel: 034 299 9662 |
|
Mpumalanga |
Dr Patience Selotole |
Tel: 013 2352 071 |
|
North-West |
Dr Thethelani Mlilo |
Tel: 018 389 5102/5057 |
|
Dr L Madyibi: Provincial Director for Veterinary Services) |
Cell: 071 854 2016 |
|
|
Northern Cape |
Nelson Matekwe: Chief State Veterinarian |
Cell: 083 863 7987 |
|
Department of Agriculture (DoA) National Import Export Policy Unit |
Dr Boitumelo Motsisi- Mehlape: State Veterinarian |
Cell: 072 074 3797 |
competent authority
for issuing health guarantees for export of fish + fishery products
national regulator for compulsory specifications
The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) is recognised by importing countries as the competent authority for the issuing of health guarantees for the export of fish and fishery products intended for human consumption.
The NRCS is responsible for the implementation of the compulsory specifications for canned fish (VC 8014), live and fresh abalone (VC 9001) and frozen fish (VC 8017) in terms of the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act, 2008 (Act No. 5 of 2008).
The aquaculture product exported is required to comply with the relevant food safety programme that is implemented in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998) by the DFFE and is required to comply with the importing country’s import requirements.
auditing of applications' standards
The NRCS is accredited as the competent authority to audit the application of standard (mainly HACCP and ISO) for the export of products to the European Union and other countries. It also issues health certificates for products such as abalone, which are exported to Asian countries.
The NRCS has negotiated an auditable aquaculture CODEX Alimentarius of on-farm practices acceptable to the European Union, which it applies to HACCP systems in marine aquaculture.
figure 1: illustration
showing traceability of undersized cultured abalone product to the consumer to minimize conflict with illegally sourced wild abalone products sold on the local market.
Contact details, roles and function of relevant authorities for the import and export of aquaculture product(s).
|
official name |
designation |
responsibility |
contact details |
role and / or function |
|
Ntomboxolo Meisie Katz |
General Manager Food and Associated Industries |
NRCS |
Tel: 021 526 3400 |
Import and export of live and processed aquatic animals for immediate human consumption is facilitated through the NRCS. Frozen and canned fish or shell fish, any hermetically sealed fish products, commercially sterile and sealed in plastic No NRCS control or specifications for fresh fish or fresh fish on ice (chilled)
The following compulsory specifications (imported and local products) are administered: Canned fish, canned fish products and canned marine molluscs (VC 8014) Canned crustaceans (VC 8014) Canned meat products (VC 8019) Frozen fish, frozen marine molluscs, and frozen fish and frozen marine molluscs products (VC 8017) Frozen rock lobster products (VC 8020) Frozen shrimps (prawns), langoustines and crabs (VC 8031) Smoked snoek (frozen) (VC 8021) Live aquaculture abalone (VC 9001) |
|
Maphuti Kutu Thandeka Zulu Aldrid Prinse |
Technical Specialist: Food and Agro-processing Division: Regulatory Research and Development |
NRCS |
Tel: 012 482 8930 / 8700 PTA office |
|
|
Deon Jacobs |
|
NRCS |
Tel: 021 526 3400 |
|
|
Kobus van der Merwe |
Inspector |
NRCS (Pretoria) |
Tel: 012 482 8904 |
|
|
Grant Hingle |
Inspector |
NRCS (Durban) |
Tel: 031 203 2940 |
|
|
Fanie du Preez |
Inspector |
NRCS (Mossel bay) |
Cell: 082 529 1666 |
|
|
Judi Mentoor |
Inspector |
NRCS (West Coast) |
Cell: 071 850 1417 / 072 239 7039 |
|
|
Victor Erasmus |
Inspector |
NRCS (Hermanus) |
Cell:079 887 9098 |
|
|
Mr Daniel Matlala Malose (Deputy Director) |
Director of Food Control |
Department of Health |
(permits Pretoria)
(permits Johannesburg) |
|
|
Ms Penny Campbell |
Deputy Director: Biological Safety and Programme Support |
Department of Health |
Tel: 012 395 8788 |
Chilled and other types of fish not controlled by NRCS Monitoring of consignments imported from other countries at ports of entry (Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg Airport) NOT involved with export of fish from South Africa to other countries |
|
ITAC Certificate |
|
|
Tel: 012 394 3609 |
|
|
Dr Boitumelo Motsisi -Mehlape |
State Veterinarian (Import Export Policy Unit) |
Department Agriculture, Directorate: Animal Health |
Tel: 012 319 7648 |
Refer to figure 1. |
|
Dr Thule Cele |
State veterinarian (Import Export Control) |
Department Agriculture, Directorate: Animal Health |
Tel: 012 319 6313 |
Live freshwater and tropical aquarium fish only (imports) Import and export of ova (Salmonids) Importation of live freshwater fish for research purposes (White list of fish species allowed to be imported) |
|
Dr Marietta Bronkhorst |
Deputy Director: Disease Control |
Dept. Agriculture, Directorate: Animal Health |
Tel: 021 319 7481 |
|
|
Mr John Foord |
Food Safety Officer |
DFFE, Directorate: Sustainable Aquaculture Management |
Tel: 021 430 7003 |
Registration of fish farms for export of live fish (salmonids and Koi carp) |
|
Ms Heidy Potgieter |
Nature Conservation |
Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment |
Biodiversity Management: Permits Office Tel: 011 240 3043 |
Import and export of freshwater product(s) |
The Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act, 1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947) requires that all processed animal feeds and stock remedies (therapeutants) meet certain specifications.
Any processed feed, imported into South Africa or manufactured locally for sale, should be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, you may contact Mr Malwandla Baloyi from the Directorate: Agricultural Inputs Control, 1947 (Act no 36 of 1947) Division: Farm Feeds, Email: malwandlab@dalrrd.gov.za and Tel: 012 319 6816 for further guidance on the process. Also, click on the following website link for more information https://www.gov.za/services/fertilizers-farm-feeds-agricultural-remedies/import-farm-feed-and-pet-food.