Chapter 03 covers fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates, including live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted, smoked and other products. This chapter is the core chapter for the classification of aquatic products in international trade, involving fishing, aquaculture, processing and other links. Within the chapter, it is further subdivided according to the degree of processing and species attributes, aiming to unify the trade statistics and tariff collection of aquatic products among countries. Heading 0302 specifically refers to fresh or chilled fish, excluding frozen fish (0303), fish fillets (0304), dried, salted or smoked fish (0305), etc. This heading emphasizes maintaining the original form without further processing, only simple treatment such as washing, heading, gutting, etc., and the entire cold chain is required during transportation to maintain freshness. This heading is the main classification entry for fresh and perishable products in aquatic product trade. The first 2 digits 03 represent Chapter 3 'Fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates'. The 3rd-4th digits 02 represent the heading 'Fresh or chilled fish', distinguished from 0303 frozen fish, 0304 fish fillets, etc. The 5th-6th digits 82 are a subheading, specifically referring to 'rays', i.e., fish of the order Rajiformes, including skates, stingrays, eagle rays, etc. This subheading is divided according to species and is parallel to other subheadings under 0302 (such as 0302.11 trout, 0302.13 Pacific salmon, etc.), ensuring that rays are separately counted. The commodity is fresh or chilled rays, which have not been frozen, dried, smoked or further processed, and remain whole or simply treated, meeting the definition of heading 0302 'Fresh or chilled fish'. As a specific species, rays have a separate subheading 0302.82 under 0302, so they are classified under this code, rather than 0303 (frozen rays) or 0304 (ray fillets).

Product name: The specific name of the declared commodity, which should use standard Chinese and scientific name, such as 'fresh rays' or 'chilled rays', and indicate the Latin scientific name. State: Clearly declare as 'fresh' or 'chilled'. Fresh means not chilled but kept fresh; chilled means stored at around 0°C. Latin scientific name: Provide the specific Latin scientific name of the rays, such as Raja spp. or Dasyatis spp., for species identification. Processing method: Describe simple processing methods, such as heading, gutting, washing, etc., and no further processing such as slicing or salting is allowed. Specifications: Declare specifications such as individual weight and body length, usually expressed in grams/piece or centimeters/piece. Packaging method: Explain the packaging materials and form, such as foam boxes with ice, vacuum packaging, etc., which must meet cold chain requirements. Brand: If there is a brand, declare the brand name; if no brand, fill in 'none'. Country of origin: Declare the country of fishing or farming, which affects tariffs and the application of trade agreements. Product name: Fresh rays; State: Fresh; Latin scientific name: Raja clavata; Processing method: headed, gutted, washed; Specifications: 500-800g/piece; Packaging method: foam box with ice, 10kg per box; Brand: None; Country of origin: China. Misreporting chilled rays as frozen rays, leading to incorrect classification under 0303. Failure to provide Latin scientific name, unable to prove it is rays, may be classified under other fish subheadings. Processing method described as 'sliced', which should actually be classified under 0304 fish fillets. Incorrect declaration of country of origin, such as misreporting the country of origin after processing imported raw materials.

The core basis for classification is the commodity state (fresh or chilled), species (rays) and processing method (simple treatment). First, it must be confirmed as fresh or chilled, excluding frozen, dried, etc. Second, rays belong to the order Rajiformes and have a separate subheading 0302.82 under 0302. If processed into fillets, they are classified under 0304; if frozen, under 0303. At the same time, reference should be made to the 'Import and Export Tariff' and 'Tariff Annotations' for the definitions of 'fresh, chilled' to ensure compliance with cold chain transportation requirements. 0303.82 Frozen rays: 0303.82 is frozen rays, which have been frozen with a core temperature below -18°C; while 0302.82 is fresh or chilled, not frozen. 0304.49 Fresh or chilled ray fillets: 0304.49 is ray fillets, which have been sliced, deboned, etc.; 0302.82 is whole or simply gutted, not sliced. 0302.89 Other fresh or chilled fish: 0302.89 is other fresh fish not elsewhere specified; rays are separately listed, so they should be classified under 0302.82. 0305.59 Dried rays: 0305.59 is dried rays, which have been dehydrated; 0302.82 is fresh or chilled, not dried. 0302.81 Fresh or chilled sharks: 0302.81 is sharks, which belong to the same cartilaginous fish as rays but different orders, and must be distinguished by species. Confirm the commodity state is fresh or chilled, not frozen. Verify the species is rays and provide the Latin scientific name. Check that the processing method is only simple treatment, not sliced. Confirm the packaging meets cold chain requirements and has ice preservation. Verify the country of origin and brand information are accurate.

How to distinguish the HS codes for fresh rays and frozen rays? Fresh rays are classified under 0302.82, frozen rays under 0303.82. The key difference is whether they have been frozen: fresh products are kept at around 0°C chilled or not chilled, frozen products have a core temperature below -18°C. When declaring, state proof such as transportation temperature records must be provided. Which code should ray fillets be classified under? If ray fillets are fresh or chilled, they are classified under 0304.49; if frozen, under 0304.89. 0302.82 only applies to whole or simply gutted rays; slicing is further processing and should be classified under 0304. Is the Latin scientific name mandatory when declaring? Yes, the Latin scientific name is key to species identification, especially for distinguishing rays from sharks and other cartilaginous fish. Failure to provide it may lead to classification disputes or customs clearance delays. It is recommended to fill it in accurately on the customs declaration. What is the difference between 0302.82 and 0302.89? 0302.82 specifically refers to rays, 0302.89 is other fresh fish not elsewhere specified. If the species is rays, it must be classified under 0302.82; if it is other fish species, it is classified under 0302.89. Classification must be determined based on species. What quarantine certificates are required for importing fresh rays? Usually, a health certificate issued by the official authority of the country of origin, fishing certificate, etc., are required, and they must comply with the quarantine requirements of China Customs. Specific certificate requirements can be found in the relevant regulations of the General Administration of Customs. How to query the tariff rate for 0302.82? Tariff rates may change. The latest rates can be queried through the official website of the General Administration of Customs of China, the International Trade Single Window, or by consulting a customs broker. Also note the preferential rates under free trade agreements, which require a certificate of origin. Are rays and stingrays the same in HS codes? Rays and stingrays both belong to the order Rajiformes and are classified under 0302.82 in the HS code. However, the specific species must be indicated when declaring, because different species may involve different trade controls or quarantine requirements. If rays are salted, which code should they be classified under? Salted rays are classified under 0305.59, which belongs to dried, salted or brined fish. 0302.82 only applies to fresh or chilled, without preservation treatment such as salting.