Statutory guidance

Import of fishing bait for commercial and recreational fishing purposes - Import Information Note (IIN) ABP/28

Published 2 December 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pet-food-and-feed-for-other-animals-import-information-notes/import-of-fishing-bait-for-commercial-and-recreational-fishing-purposes-import-information-note-iin-abp28

1. General information 

This Import Information Note (IIN) must be read in conjunction with the IIN for general information for imports of animal by-products (ABPs), which provides information on pre-notifications, veterinary checks, risk categories and more.

References to European Union (EU) legislation within this document are references to direct EU legislation which has been assimilated in Great Britain (assimilated direct legislation), as defined in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 and can be viewed on the UK legislation website. 

2. Scope 

Import conditions for fishing bait for commercial and recreational fishing purposes. 

In accordance with Annex XIV, Chapter IV, Section 2 of Regulation (EU) 142/2011, the competent authority may authorise the importation of certain materials for purposes other than feeding to farmed land animals (except for feeding to fur animals) provided there is no unacceptable risk for the transmission of diseases communicable to humans or animals. 

Fishing baits for commercial and recreational fishing purposes must only be derived from:

  • ABPs from aquatic animals and derived products from aquatic animals
  • aquatic invertebrates and derived products from aquatic invertebrates
  • terrestrial invertebrates including any of their transformation forms, such as larvae, and derived products therefrom
  • products generated by the animals referred to above

3. Production standards

In the case of raw ABPs, the ABPs referred to above must be:

  • deep frozen and free from salmonella and other pathogenic organisms
  • securely packaged to ensure leakage is kept to a minimum

In the case of other ABPs, including those in ready-to-sell packages for direct retail sale, the ABPs referred to above must be:

  • dried by a treatment sufficient to destroy pathogenic organisms, including salmonella
  • ambient stable
  • securely packaged
  • in the case of packages for direct retail sale, sealed in ready-to-sell packages

4. Country of origin 

The ABPs must come from countries listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2019/626. 

5. Approved establishments 

Imports of fishing baits from approved countries will be permitted to be imported into Great Britain (GB) without the premises being listed on the approved list of establishments. 

6. Health certification or documentation 

The fishing baits must be accompanied by a commercial document issued by the exporter indicating:

  • consignor and consignee name and addresses
  • premises of origin
  • premises of destination
  • country of origin
  • ingredients, including the species that each animal by-product or animal derived product was obtained from
  • in the case of dried fishing baits, details of the drying treatment the ABP has undergone to ensure that pathogenic organisms, including salmonella have been destroyed
  • that the ABPs are intended for commercial or recreational fishing baits only

7. Labelling requirements 

In the case of fishing baits intended for commercial fishing use

All packages must bear a label indicating: “NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION – FOR USE AS COMMERCIAL FISHING BAITS ONLY”.

In the case of fishing baits for recreational fishing use

All packages must bear a label indicating “NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION – FOR USE AS RECREATIONAL FISHING BAITS ONLY”. 

8. Movement to premises of destination 

Once checked at the Border Control Post (BCP) the fishing baits must be transported directly from the BCP either to:

  • an establishment or plant approved for handling of ABPs after their collection, by way of operations such as sorting, cutting, chilling, or freezing in accordance with Article 24 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009

  • an establishment or plant approved for storage in accordance with Article 24 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009

  • an approved storage establishment or directly for retail sale where the ABPs are dispatched in ready-to-sell packages bearing a label in accordance with 3 above

  • a premises registered in accordance with Article 23 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 where the products are already in ready-to-sell packages

Requirements for registered premises

In order to prevent unacceptable risks for the transmission of diseases communicable to humans or animals, the operator of a registered premises must ensure that:

  • the material is handled separately and stored away from food, animal feed and other ABPs not authorised for this purpose, in order to prevent cross-contamination
  • other farmed animals do not have access to the bait
  • where the material is to be used as fishing bait for farmed fish, the bait must not be of the same species as the fish, for which it is intended to be used
  • unused fishing bait is to be disposed of according to the ABP Regulations

Details of approved and registered ABP operating plants in GB and the Channel Islands

9. Contact for further information  

For more information about import requirements, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) imports team:

Centre for International Trade - Carlisle
Eden Bridge House
Lowther Street
Carlisle
CA3 8DX

Email: imports@apha.gov.uk 

Telephone: 03000 200 301

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