Antarctic Marine Living Resource Program
Under this program, NOAA Fisheries implements its obligations under the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources to regulate imports, exports, and harvests of Antarctic marine living resources, including toothfish and krill.
About
The United States is a member of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the organization responsible for conserving marine life south of the Antarctic Convergence. CCAMLR applies an ecosystem approach to the conservation of marine living resources, with standards designed to conserve individual populations and species, as well as the Antarctic marine ecosystem as a whole. The United States implements CCAMLR’s conservation measures through the regulations set forth in 50 CFR 300 Subpart G.
The Antarctic marine living resources subject to the U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program (AMLR) are: Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni), Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides), Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), and Mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari). Please see below for the program requirements, as they differ across these species.
Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, also referred to as Chilean sea bass, are harvested in and beyond waters subject to CCAMLR’s measures. CCAMLR implemented a catch documentation scheme (CDS) for toothfish in 2000, significantly reducing the trade of toothfish caught in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The CDS allows for monitoring the international trade of toothfish, tracking the origins of imports, and determining if imports caught in the area CCAMLR protects follow CCAMLR conservation measures. It also provides catch data for stock assessments. Currently, 30 contracting parties of CCAMLR have fully implemented the CDS. NOAA Fisheries implements the CDS in the United States.
What You Will Need
Importing, exporting, or re-exporting Antarctic Marine Living Resources
Any person importing, exporting, or re-exporting Antarctic marine living resources into or from the United States must have an International Fisheries Trade Permit. This applies to all imports of toothfish, whether they were harvested inside or outside CCAMLR waters. To obtain an International Fisheries Trade Permit, visit the Fisheries National Permit System website.
Dealers must apply for pre-approval of each frozen toothfish import so that NOAA Fisheries can review its catch documentation in advance. There is a $200 fee for each pre-approval, and dealers must submit the pre-approval paperwork to NOAA Fisheries 10 working days before the shipment arrives. A separate application is required for any re-export of toothfish, and dealers are encouraged to submit their re-export application 48 hours before the shipment exports. Dealers must report fresh toothfish within 24 hours of importing it. For all other Antarctic species, such as Antarctic krill, dealers must submit an import ticket within 24 hours of importing the resource.
How to Apply
Applications and Reporting Forms
NOAA Fisheries uses its Trade Monitoring System for dealers to electronically submit their toothfish pre-approvals and re-exports. Please contact NOAA Fisheries (nmfs.ptfimport@noaa.gov) to establish a new account or for assistance with the Trade Monitoring System.
Paper forms and instructions required for trading frozen toothfish, fresh toothfish, and other Antarctic marine living resources are available below. Please submit paper forms by email to nmfs.ptfimport@noaa.gov:
Application for Pre-Approval Certificate to Import Frozen Toothfish
Antarctic Marine Living Resource Import Ticket (not required for trading toothfish)
Harvesting Antarctic Marine Living Resources
The following links provide the form and instructions required for harvesting or transshipping Antarctic marine living resources:
More Information
For more information on the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program requirements, please contact the NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce (nmfs.ptfimport@noaa.gov).