Food Compliance
Intelligence & Solutions

Singapore Aquatic Products Regulation

Sadie Shen Last updated on: Jul 05, 2023

1. Definition & classification

This article focuses on fish and fish products classified by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). According to Regulation 71 of the Food Regulations, fish refers to any edible and wholesome part of marine or freshwater animals, excluding mammals, that are commonly consumed by humans.

Fish and fish products regulated by SFA comprise the following types, in live, chilled, frozen, processed or canned forms.

  • fishes

  • crustacean, such as crabs, lobsters, prawns, etc.

  • molluscs, such as squids, octopus, cuttlefish, etc.

  • marine sponges

  • trepang or marine invertebrates, such as sea cucumber

  • any other form of aquatic life including their young and eggs

2. Competent authority

Competent authority

Responsibility

Singapore Food Agency (SFA)

  • Licensing for and registration of traders

  • Inspection and sampling of imported products

  • Review of novel food safety assessment

  • Drafting of food regulations

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)

Registration and supervision of business entities

Singapore Customs

Customs declaration

3. Market access approval

3.1 Pre-market assessment

Singapore follows a risk-based approach to food safety, with stricter import conditions for high-risk products. Generally, fish and fish products can be imported to Singapore from any country or region without health certificate. However, certain types of fish and fish products listed in the table below are subject to stricter import conditions.

Product types

Conditions for import

Chilled shucked raw oysters

Chilled cockle meat

Chilled cooked prawn/shrimp

Chilled crab meat

Import is not allowed

Live oysters

Frozen oysters

Frozen blood cockle meat

Frozen cooked prawns

Frozen raw/cooked crab meat

Health certificate

Frozen pearl oyster meat (adductor muscle)

  • Regulated establishment (e.g. license or permit of the establishment)

  • Hygienic and sanitary conditions (e.g. HACCP plan, health certificate)

  • Proper documentation records of the documentary proof

Please refer to the trade circular for details.

Pufferfish (wild and farmed pufferfish muscle meat and farmed pufferfish parts, i.e., fins, skin and milt only)

Fish species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

  • A CITES import permit from NParks

  • A CITES export/re-export permit from the region of export

3.2 Overseas trader licensing

Importers must obtain a trader’s licence before importing fish and fish products to Singapore. Before that, companies shall register with ACRA to get a Unique Entity Number (UEN) and activate their UEN with Singapore Customs through TradeNet. For more details, please refer to Step-by-Step Guide for New Application of Licence to Import Fish Products.

3.3 Inspection and sampling

Upon import, SFA reserves the right to inspect any imported consignment of fish and fish products. High-risk products, including frozen blood cockle meat, frozen cooked prawns, frozen raw/cooked crabmeat and frozen oysters, are subject to mandatory inspection by SFA prior to sale. These products will be subject to “hold and test” until the laboratory analysis is completed.

4. Product compliance

4.1 Product requirements

Fish and fish products in Singapore must comply with the product requirements in the Food Regulations. Please refer to the corresponding provisions in the Food Regulations for specific requirements.

Items

Regulations

Fish and fish products

Regulation 71-77 

Food additives

Regulation 15-28 

Incidental constituents in food

Regulation 29-35 

4.2 Label

Every carton and basic packaging unit of the imported fish and fish product must be labelled with the following information:

  • Description of the fish product

  • Country of origin of the fish product

  • Brand name of the fish product, if any

  • Name and designation number of the processing establishment where, and the date when, the fish product was processed, if applicable

  • Name and designation number of the establishment where, and the date when, the fish product was packed

  • Batch number and, where the fish product was canned, the canning code

  • Net weight of the fish product in each basic packaging unit and the outer carton

For more details on the labelling of fish products, please refer to:

ChemLinked has assisted numerous global food enterprises in achieving market access. Please feel free to contact us if you need any consultation services.

* Global Food Compliance Service

We provide various market entry services to help stakeholders better understand exporting requirements, establish business and secure a competitive place to facilitate trade development.

 Covered Countries

China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, United States, European Union, Australia, New Zealand etc.

Our Services

  • Food Ingredient Review

  • Label Review

  • Product Registration

  • Regulatory Consultation

  • Monitoring, Training and customized report

Please feel free to contact us via food@chemlinked.com if you need any help.

User Guide