Fish tails

Fish tails, aquatic invertebrate products unfit for consumption

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 0511 91 20 (Fish tails) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) oversight and is prohibited for import under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Where a CITES certificate applies, the consignment must also carry a health certificate, and both documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

0511 91 20

Chapter

05 · Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified

Primary regulator

WCCB · ITC (HS) Prohibited import policy, Chapter 5

Customs documentation

CITES certificate from WCCB
Health certificate from AQCS
ITC (HS) policy declaration to DGFT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Note that import of fish tails under this tariff line is Prohibited under the ITC (HS) import policy. No import can proceed without a lawful policy exception or CITES-based authorisation; consignments arriving without the requisite clearance are liable to seizure and confiscation.
ITC (HS) policy — Prohibited, Chapter 5; DGFT policy
2
Where an import is sought under CITES authority, upload the CITES certificate (document code 626000) and the health certificate (document code 6360AQ) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. The customs proper officer will verify both documents before granting out-of-charge.
ITC (HS) policy, Chapter 5 · e-Sanchit document codes 626000 and 6360AQ

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that possession of a CITES certificate converts the import from Prohibited to Free. The ITC (HS) Prohibited status is independent of CITES documentation: the policy prohibition operates at the customs-clearance stage, and a CITES certificate alone does not override DGFT's Prohibited classification. Consignments detained under the prohibition are subject to confiscation and may not be re-exported without separate DGFT authorisation.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0511 91 20 require BIS certification?

No, fish tails fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime entirely. Import is governed by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau oversight and the ITC (HS) Prohibited-import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with CITES certification and a health certificate required where an import is sought.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

The CITES certificate (document code 626000) and the health certificate (document code 6360AQ) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge is granted by the customs proper officer.

Can a consignment of fish tails be imported if the ITC (HS) policy lists this line as Prohibited?

No regular commercial import is permissible under a Prohibited classification; the importer must obtain a specific DGFT policy exception or CITES-based authorisation before the consignment can lawfully enter India, failing which the goods are liable to seizure and confiscation.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: WCCB / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.