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Dogfish and other sharks

Fresh, chilled or frozen shark fillets and fish meat

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE · +1 OTHER PGAS

HSN 0304 96 00 (Dogfish and other sharks) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance and a CITES Certificate issued by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) apply as concurrent overlays, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports.

What this is
HSN code
0304 96 00
Chapter
03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
Primary regulator
FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food regime)
Customs documentation
  • Import Licence from FSSAI
  • Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
  • CITES Certificate from WCCB
Applicable Partner Government Agencies
FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services
WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps
  1. 1
    Confirm the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry.
    CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
  2. 2
    Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) before consignment dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC for the listed CTIs in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of Circular No. 24/2022-Cus.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
  3. 3
    Upload the CITES Certificate (document code 626000) in e-Sanchit to satisfy the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau overlay applicable to shark products. Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports operative from 01-03-2023 under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
    CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) Schedule I, 2022
A word of counsel

The CITES Certificate overlay is the layer most commonly overlooked on this tariff line: importers who secure FSSAI and AQCS clearances but fail to upload the CITES Certificate (document code 626000) in e-Sanchit face out-of-charge denial and consignment detention under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, irrespective of food-safety compliance. Verify CITES Appendix listing for the specific shark species before placing the purchase order, as species-level classification governs both permit issuance and applicable WCCB formalities.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0304 96 00 require BIS certification?
No, shark fillets and fish meat are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with concurrent Animal Quarantine and Certification Services and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau overlays, and a 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry for this tariff line?
Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), AQCS Health Certificate (6360AQ), and CITES Certificate (626000); the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN (document code 911DF1) must also be quoted to obtain the AQCS NOC per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for shark fish products?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, fish and fish-product manufacturing facilities exporting to India must be registered with FSSAI; consignments from unregistered facilities are not permitted entry.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / WCCB / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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