Subheading · Chapter 16 · Heading 1604
1604.18: Fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced: shark fins
Official description Shark fins
Subheading 1604.18 belongs to heading 1604 (prepared or preserved fish) in chapter 16.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 1604 18 00 00 Shark fins 20%
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 1
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 833
- Documents
- 9018
Import requirements 6
- Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
- Applies to goods from
- Cambodia, Comoros, North Korea, St Vincent & the Grenadines
- Legal act
- 2014 No. 170, S.I. 2019/411
- Import controlVeterinary control
- Applies to goods from
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica and 232 more
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/782
- Documents
- C084 Exemption by virtue of Articles 3 and 4 of regulation 2019/2122 (animals intended for scientific purposes, research and diagnostic samples, and samples for product analysis and quality testing).
- N853 Common Health Entry Document for Products (CHED-P) (as set out in Part 2, Section B of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1715 (OJ L 261))
- Y058 Exemption by virtue of Article 7 of Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/2122 (Goods which form part of passengers' personal luggage and are intended for personal consumption or use) or Article 10 (small consignments of goods sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market) of Commission Delegated Regulation 2019/2122
- Y931 Goods benefitting from derogation to veterinary controls according to Article 3 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control - CITES
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2021 No. 54
- Import controlControl on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Cambodia, Comoros, St Vincent & the Grenadines
- Import controlImport control of organic products
- Applies to goods from
- all countries except Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/693
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 20% |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code "EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreementQuota | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | 3% |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | 6% |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | 7% |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | 10% |
| UK–Serbia agreementQuota | Serbia | 14% |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Australia | £1k | 100% | — |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU 20% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Türkiye 80% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
USA 4% – 6% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 5% 
Canada 7% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Mexico 20% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Brazil 14.4% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina 16% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Peru Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free – 5% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 2.5% 
Japan 9.6% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan 7% General (MFN) 3 tariff lines 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Switzerland specific or compound duty General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Norway Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Nigeria 20% General (MFN) 1 tariff line World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$17kUS$17k+US$101k+US$405k+> US$1m
Exports: 30
- Indonesia: US$1m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$437k
- Singapore: US$405k
- Kuwait: US$384k
- China: US$185k
- Morocco: US$137k
- Vietnam: US$108k
- Taiwan: US$101k
- Czechia: US$88k
- Malaysia: US$87k
- United States: US$60k
- Spain: US$33k
- New Zealand: US$23k
- South Africa: US$23k
- Australia: US$17k
- Thailand: US$17k
- Philippines: US$13k
- France: US$10k
- Belgium: US$9k
- Japan: US$4k
- Ghana: US$3k
- Brazil: US$2k
- Denmark: US$2k
- Portugal: US$1k
- Netherlands: US$400
- Germany: US$300
- Poland: US$300
- United Kingdom: US$200
- Luxembourg: US$100
- Sweden: US$0
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$10kUS$10k+US$33k+US$384k+> US$944k
Imports: 35
- Singapore: US$944k
- South Korea: US$791k
- Japan: US$619k
- Egypt: US$384k
- Burkina Faso: US$332k
- Malaysia: US$206k
- Croatia: US$60k
- Mexico: US$60k
- Portugal: US$33k
- Bulgaria: US$28k
- Thailand: US$26k
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$23k
- Zimbabwe: US$22k
- China: US$17k
- French Polynesia: US$17k
- United States: US$10k
- Luxembourg: US$10k
- Sweden: US$10k
- Switzerland: US$8k
- Papua New Guinea: US$5k
- Brunei: US$4k
- Philippines: US$3k
- France: US$3k
- Netherlands: US$2k
- Indonesia: US$2k
- Solomon Islands: US$1k
- Greenland: US$700
- Mozambique: US$700
- Belgium: US$400
- Iceland: US$300
- Macao SAR China: US$300
- Botswana: US$100
- United Kingdom: US$100
- Germany: US$0
- Denmark: US$0
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Indonesia | US$1m | 40.6% |
| 2 |  Hong Kong SAR China | US$437k | 12.1% |
| 3 |  Singapore | US$405k | 11.2% |
| 4 |  Kuwait | US$384k | 10.6% |
| 5 |  China | US$185k | 5.1% |
| 6 |  Morocco | US$137k | 3.8% |
| 7 |  Vietnam | US$108k | 3% |
| 8 | Taiwan | US$101k | 2.8% |
| 9 |  Czechia | US$88k | 2.4% |
| 10 |  Malaysia | US$87k | 2.4% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | US$944k | 26.1% |
| 2 |  South Korea | US$791k | 21.8% |
| 3 | Japan | US$619k | 17.1% |
| 4 |  Egypt | US$384k | 10.6% |
| 5 |  Burkina Faso | US$332k | 9.2% |
| 6 | Malaysia | US$206k | 5.7% |
| 7 |  Croatia | US$60k | 1.7% |
| 8 | Mexico | US$60k | 1.7% |
| 9 |  Portugal | US$33k | 0.9% |
| 10 |  Bulgaria | US$28k | 0.8% |
Import duty on this product around the world 152
The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty each country applies to goods of this HS subheading: the average over its national tariff lines, with the lowest and highest line where they differ. Goods from countries with a trade agreement often pay less.
- 16%median duty
- 20number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 80%highest: Türkiye, Cape Verde, Iran
152
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
 Albania | 0% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 30% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| Argentina | 16% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 15% | 2023 | |
| Australia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 20% | 2022 | |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Barbados | 20% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Belarus | 15% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Belize | 20% | 2023 | |
 Benin | 20% | 2023 | |
 Bermuda | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bhutan | 10% | 2022 | |
 Bolivia | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 10% | 2022 | |
 Botswana | 25% | 2023 | |
| Brazil | 16% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Burkina Faso | 20% | 2023 | |
 Burundi | 25% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 35% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 30% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 7% | 2023 | |
 Cape Verde | 40% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Central African Republic | 30% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 30% | 2023 | |
 Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| China | 12% | 2023 | |
 Colombia | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Comoros | 20% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Congo - Brazzaville | 30% | 2023 | |
 Cook Islands | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Costa Rica | 14% | 2023 | |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cuba | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominica | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominican Republic | 20% | 2023 | |
 Ecuador | 30% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Egypt | 5% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 El Salvador | 15% | 2022 | |
 Equatorial Guinea | 30% | 2023 | |
 Eswatini | 25% | 2023 | |
 Ethiopia | 35% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| European Union (27 countries) | 20% | 2023 | |
 Fiji | 32% | 2023 | |
 French Polynesia | 8% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 30% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 20% | 2023 | |
 Georgia | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 20% | 2023 | |
 Gibraltar | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Guatemala | 15% | 2023 | |
 Guinea | 20% | 2023 | |
 Guinea-Bissau | 20% | 2023 | |
 Guyana | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Honduras | 15% | 2023 | |
| Hong Kong SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iceland | 10% | 2023 | |
 India | 30% | 2023 | |
| Indonesia | 15% | 2023 | |
 Iran | 40% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Israel | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Jamaica | 20% | 2023 | |
| Japan | 9.6% | 2023 | |
 Jordan | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kazakhstan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 25% | 2023 | |
| Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 15% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Laos | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Lebanon | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Lesotho | 25% | 2023 | |
 Liberia | 20% | 2023 | |
 Libya | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Liechtenstein | 1.4%* | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 20% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 25% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| Malaysia | 2% | 0% – 6% | 2023 |
 Maldives | 0% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 20% | 2023 | |
 Mauritania | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Micronesia | 3% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mongolia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Montserrat | 20% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Morocco | 40% | 2023 | |
 Mozambique | 20% | 2023 | |
 Myanmar (Burma) | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Namibia | 25% | 2023 | |
 Nauru | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Nepal | 15% | 2023 | |
| New Zealand | 2.5% | 0% – 5% | 2023 |
 Nicaragua | 15% | 2023 | |
 Niger | 20% | 2023 | |
| Nigeria | 20% | 2023 | |
| North Macedonia | 0% | 2023 | |
| Norway | 0% | 2023 | |
 Oman | 5% | 2023 | |
 Pakistan | 20% | 2023 | |
 Palestinian Territories | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Panama | 5% | 2023 | |
 Papua New Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Paraguay | 16% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Philippines | 15% | 2023 | |
 Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Russia | 15% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Rwanda | 25% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 20% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 Saudi Arabia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Senegal | 20% | 2023 | |
 Seychelles | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sierra Leone | 20% | 2023 | |
| Singapore | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Solomon Islands | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Somalia | 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 25% | 2023 | |
| South Korea | 20% | 2023 | |
 Sri Lanka | 20% | 2023 | |
 St Kitts & Nevis | 5% | 2023 | |
 St Pierre & Miquelon | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 St Vincent & the Grenadines | 20% | 2023 | |
 Sudan | 40% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| Switzerland | 2.2%* | 2023 | |
 Tanzania | 25% | 2023 | |
 Thailand | 23%* | 23% – 24% | 2023 |
 Togo | 20% | 2023 | |
 Tonga | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Türkiye | 80% | 2023 | |
 Tuvalu | 19% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Uganda | 25% | 2023 | |
 Ukraine | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 20% | 2023 | |
| United States | 5% | 4% – 6% | 2023 |
 Uruguay | 16% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Uzbekistan | 15% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 20% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 16% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Vietnam | 27% | 20% – 30% | 2023 |
 Yemen | 25% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Zambia | 25% | 2023 | |
 Zimbabwe | 0.2% | 0.1% – 0.4% | 2023 |
Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. * ad valorem equivalent of specific duties (UNCTAD estimate) · UNCTAD TRAINS, accessed via WITS (World Bank)
Classifications and correspondences
Where this HS subheading sits in the United Nations' statistical classifications, and which codes it had in earlier editions of the Harmonized System.
- SITC Rev. 4
- 03715 Other fish, prepared/preserved, whole/in pieces, but not minced
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Consumption goods · BEC 113201
- CPC 2.1 product
- 21241 Prepared dishes and meals based on fish, molluscs and crustaceans21242 Fish, otherwise prepared or preserved
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 1075 Manufacture of prepared meals and dishes1020 Processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1604.18 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 1604.19 | changed |
| 2007 | 1604.19 | changed |
| 2002 | 1604.19 | changed |
| 1996 | 1604.19 | changed |
| 1992 | 1604.19 | changed |
Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
Recent rule changes mentioning this code
Acts whose text cites this code or its heading. Check the act itself: a code can be cited for reasons other than a change of its duty.
- Rules of origin · Applies from:
CELEX 22026D0498 · Source: eur-lex.europa.eu
Code history
Since 2017; before, these goods were classified under 1604.19.
The UK Global Tariff has one tariff line for subheading 1604.18; the duty is 20%.
Subheading 1604.18 is a single line in the EU Combined Nomenclature, where the duty is 20%.
165 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of 20%.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
Imports of these goods into the UK came to £1.3k between September 2025 and August 2026; Australia supplied 100%.
In 2024, countries exported these goods worth US$4m (−20.8% year on year).
The largest exporter was Indonesia (US$1m), followed by Hong Kong SAR China.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced: shark fins?
Fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced: shark fins fall under HS subheading 1604.18, part of heading 1604, in section IV of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 1604.18 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 20%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 1604.18 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 20%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most fish, whole or in pieces, but not minced?
Indonesia, with US$1m in 2024 (40.6% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?
165 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of 20% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on these goods?
The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Australia (100%), out of total imports of £1.3k.