FSIS to Publish Proposed Rules to List Vietnam, China, and Thailand as Eligible to Export Siluriformes Fish and Fish Products to the U.S.
Next week, FSIS will publish in the Federal Register three proposed rules to list Vietnam, China, and Thailand as foreign countries eligible to export Siluriformes fish and fish products to the United States.
Once these documents go on public display at the Office of the Federal Register, their scheduled publication dates will be posted here: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/current. The proposed rules announce FSIS’ determination that the Siluriformes fish inspection systems in Vietnam, China, and Thailand are equivalent to the U.S. system. The proposals will be open for comment for 30 days.
Vietnam, China, and Thailand are currently exporting Siluriformes fish to the United States under the provisions provided in the December 2015, FSIS final rule that established a mandatory FSIS inspection system for Siluriformes fish (80 FR 75590). All three countries have submitted documentation to FSIS to establish the equivalence of their Siluriformes fish inspection system and eligibility to export Siluriformes fish to the United States. FSIS reviewed the documentation submitted, conducted on-site audits of these countries, and concluded that, as implemented, the inspection systems are equivalent to that of the United States. Should these proposed rules be made final, Vietnam, China, and Thailand will be listed in the Code of Federal Regulations as being eligible to export Siluriformes fish to the United States.