Heading 9815

Products of American fisheries (including fish, shellfish and other marine animals, spermaceti and marine animal oils), which have not been landed in a foreign country, or which, if so landed, have been landed solely for transshipment without change in condition

3 declarable lines

Heading 9815 covers products of American fisheries, meaning fish, shellfish and other marine animals taken by United States vessels or fishermen, along with spermaceti and marine animal oils from those sources. It is split by what happened to the catch after it was taken: no foreign landing, landing abroad only for transshipment, limited processing after landing abroad, or preparation on the treaty coasts of Labrador, Magdalen Islands and Newfoundland. All three lines carry a general (MFN) rate of Free.

Products in this heading

Fresh fish caught by a US vessel and brought directly back to a US port
US-caught shrimp frozen at sea on a US-flag vessel
US-caught fish landed in a foreign port only to change ships, with no change in condition
US-caught haddock landed in Canada and only headed, gutted and frozen
US-caught fish headed and frozen in a foreign country, other than cod, cusk, haddock, hake, mackerel, pollock and swordfish
Fish caught by a US fishery and preserved on the treaty coasts of Newfoundland
Marine animal oils and spermaceti from American fisheries returned to the United States

How to choose the right subheading

Origin of the catch: it must be a product of American fisheries
Whether the product was landed in a foreign country, and if so, whether the landing was only for transshipment
If processed abroad, whether the only operations were removing heads, viscera or fins, chilling, freezing, or a combination of these
Species: 9815.00.40.00 does not apply to cod, cusk, haddock, hake, mackerel, pollock or swordfish
Location of any preparation: the treaty coasts of Labrador, Magdalen Islands and Newfoundland fall under 9815.00.60.00

Often confused with

Frozen cod fillets from a US catch that were landed abroad and filleted there
9815.00.40.00 does not cover cod, and filleting goes beyond heading, gutting, fins, chilling or freezing, so it is out of 9815
Heading 0304
Canned or otherwise prepared fish made abroad from a US catch
Canning and cooking are further processing, so the returned goods are prepared fish, not an 9815 fishery product
Heading 1604
Fish oil or fish meal of foreign origin
9815 requires the oil to come from American fisheries; foreign-origin fish oils are classified in chapter 15
Heading 1504
Live lobsters or crabs caught by foreign vessels
9815 applies only to products of American fisheries, so a foreign catch stays in chapter 3
Heading 0306
Frozen fish fillets from a foreign catch
No US fishery origin, so heading 9815 is not available
Heading 0304

Frequently asked questions

What is the HTS code for US-caught fish returned to the United States without being landed abroad?

Use 9815.00.20.00 for products of American fisheries that have not been landed in a foreign country, or were landed only for transshipment without change in condition. The general (MFN) rate is Free.

What is the duty on US-caught fish that were landed abroad and only headed, gutted and frozen?

That falls under 9815.00.40.00 at a general (MFN) rate of Free, provided the species is not cod, cusk, haddock, hake, mackerel, pollock or swordfish. Any further processing, such as filleting or canning, takes the goods out of this line.

How do I classify fish of American fisheries prepared on the treaty coasts of Newfoundland?

Classify in 9815.00.60.00, which covers products of American fisheries prepared or preserved by an American fishery on the treaty coasts of Labrador, Magdalen Islands and Newfoundland as defined in the 1818 convention. The general (MFN) rate is Free.

Guide written from the official schedule text. Rates quoted are general (MFN) rates; check the line page for trade agreement rates and the classification of your exact product.