Fresh Chilled Rainbow Smelt
Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) is a small, silvery fish commonly harvested from cold North Atlantic and Great Lakes waters, sold fresh or chilled whole for human consumption. It falls under HTS 0302.89.50.37 as fresh or chilled smelts, excluding fillets or other fish meat of heading 0304, and not prepared for human consumption under other headings. These are typically gutted but left intact with heads and tails.
Import Duty Rates by Country of Origin
Alternative Classifications
This product could be classified differently depending on its characteristics or intended use.
If frozen rather than chilled
Frozen smelts shift to Chapter 3 heading 0303 for frozen fish, excluding fillets, due to preservation method changing the state from fresh/chilled.
If processed into fillets
Smelt fillets or other fish meat of heading 0304 apply when heads, tails, and bones are removed, reclassifying from whole fish.
If ground into flour, meal, or pellets fit for human consumption
Chapter notes exclude flours, meals, and pellets suitable for human food from 0302-0308, directing them to heading 0309.
Not sure which classification is right?
The Tariff Assistant works through the GRI rules on your specific product to reach the right HTS code — and can price the duty on it in the same conversation.
Import Tips & Compliance
• Verify fish species identification via scientific name on commercial invoice to confirm smelt classification and avoid misclassification as other fish
• Maintain cold chain documentation proving temperature below 4°C during transit to qualify as 'chilled' and prevent duty reclassification to frozen (0303)
• Include health certificates from exporting country confirming free of contaminants, as FDA prior notice is required for all fish imports
Related Products under HTS 0302.89.50.37
Fresh Chilled Capelin Smelt
Capelin (Mallotus villosus), a type of smelt abundant in North Atlantic and Pacific waters, imported fresh or chilled whole for food markets. Classified under HTS 0302.89.50.37 as other fresh/chilled smelts, not filleted and excluding offal. Often used in sushi or fried preparations.
Fresh Chilled Pond Smelt
Pond smelt (Hypomesus olidus), a small freshwater smelt from Asian lakes and rivers, shipped fresh or chilled on ice for retail sale. HTS 0302.89.50.37 covers these as other fresh/chilled smelts, whole and excluding fillets or meat of 0304. Popular in Japanese cuisine as 'wakasagi'.
Fresh Chilled European Smelt
European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus), a marine fish from Baltic and North Seas, imported fresh or chilled whole in bulk for wholesalers. Fits HTS 0302.89.50.37 as specified smelts, fresh/chilled, not filleted per heading 0304 exclusion. Known for cucumber-like aroma when fresh.
Fresh Chilled Spirinchus Smelt
Spirinchus starksi, known as 'shiro-uo' or whitebait smelt from Pacific coasts, supplied fresh or chilled whole for Asian markets. HTS 0302.89.50.37 applies to these other smelts, excluding processed forms or offal. Delicate fish eaten fried or raw.