We are reminding importers of shrimp and abalone that beginning October 9, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will accept voluntary Seafood Import Monitoring (SIM) filings before they become mandatory after Decemeber 31, 2018.
The voluntary filing period is intended to give importers time to comply with the change in regulation and begin providing the necessary documention in order to make compliant entries once the mandatory period commences.
Entries submitted without the proper filing codes during the voluntary period will receive a warning but will still be accepted. After December 31, 2018 entries submitted without proper SIM data will be rejected.
Please contact Vandegrift with any questions regarding SIM requirements.