SEAFOOD.COM NEWS [seafoodnews.com] — October 16, 2013 — Chilean Sea Bass shipments to the US are currently not eligible to enter the US as NOAA is unable to process the proper paperwork due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Chilean Sea Bass shipments to the US are currently not eligible to enter the US as NOAA is unable to process the proper paperwork due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Importers have confirmed that Chilean Sea Bass shipments have been denied entry to the country because NOAA cannot process the Dissostichus Catch Document (DCD) required to clear Customs.
According to F.W. Bryce importer Ian Moore, NOAA sent an email to industry participants on Sept. 30–the day before the shutdown–that said the agency's National Seafood Inspection Laboratory will not be operating and not be able to process DCD applications for Chilean Sea Bass.
"We are sure you are aware of the potential lapse in government appropriations to occur at midnight on September 30, 2013 if Congress does not enact a resolution. While there is still time for Congress to prevent the lapse, we have been advised to prepare for all contingencies, including a shut down of government services. Should this occur, the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory will be closed on October 1, 2013 and we will not be available until the government is funded. We are hopeful that this will not occur, but want you to be prepared for a potential lapse in availability of services. We will update you when we know more," said NOAA's Kim Dawson-Guynn and Lori Robinson in the email.
Moore added that importers are not allowed to place containers in bond under cold storage to wait out the shutdown either; a move used by importers to secure products on US soil while they sort out any necessecary paperwork to clear Customs.
Moore said he had not seen other memos relating to the hold up aside from the early October note.
Another importer said some industry participants were prepared for NOAA's shutdown and placed Chilean Sea Bass orders ahead of time to secure their supplies before the halt to the application process.
However it's been reported that some US importers are holding onto limited Chilean Sea Bass supplies as their shipments have been denied entry amid the DCD processing stoppage.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.