On October 4, 2017, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published in the Federal Register a notice announcing, in consultation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a test of the International Trade Data System (ITDS) involving the electronic submission of data, related to importation of fish products regulated by NMFS under the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), using the import Partner Government Agency (PGA) data set via the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Secure Data Portal. CBP and NMFS have developed a plan to test and assess the electronic transmission of harvest and traceability data for fish imports of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes covered by the SIMP.
The test will involve using the above referenced methods to transmit the data required for processing imports of products specified in the SIMP. Under this test, data may be submitted for the covered fish products imported in any operational port. SIMP does not require or allow for submission of forms through the Document Imaging System (DIS). All ports are operational for the test.
The test will commence after October 1, 2017, and will continue until concluded by publication of a notice in the Federal Register ending the test. Comments on the submission and processing of import data will be accepted throughout the duration of the test. On January 1, 2018 electronic submission of data under Seafood Import Monitoring Program will be mandatory.
