Conclusion of National Marine Fisheries Service International Trade Data System Tests Concerning the Electronic Submission of Certain Data Required for Fish Imports and Exports

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) previously announced tests under the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) concerning the electronic transmission of certain data for NMFS-regulated commodities through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and through the Automated Export System (AES). The tests included electronic data submission for imports (published in the Federal Register on June 5, 2015) and for exports (published in the Federal Register on June 3, 2016). During the imports test, entry filers were able to use the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) and the Document Image System (DIS) to transmit the NMFS Partner Government Agency (PGA) message data and forms required for NMFS to make admissibility determinations for entries subject to the monitoring programs for tunas, swordfish and toothfish, under the Highly Migratory Species International Trade Program (HMS), the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Trade Monitoring Program (AMR), and the Tuna Tacking and Verification Program (TTVP). During the exports test, exporters were able to use the Automated Export System (AES) and the DIS to transmit the NMFS PGA data and forms required for NMFS to collect required information on exports subject to these same trade monitoring programs. It has been determined that ACE and AES are capable of accepting NMFS-regulated electronic entries. NMFS regulations effective on September 20, 2016 (published on August 3, 2016) will require the use of ACE or AES, as applicable, for electronic filings of regulated imports or exports of fish products. Accordingly, CBP and NMFS announce that the NCAP tests are ending on September 20, 2016. All importers and exporters of fish products regulated by NMFS are encouraged to use ACE or AES, as applicable, for their electronic filings in advance of September 20, 2016, when such filings will become mandatory.