Since 12 May and the launch of “Operation Just Keep Swimming,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) import specialists reeled in USD 7.6 million (EUR 6.5 million) in duties from 676 shipments of imported tilapia, the federal agency said on 21 July.
Launched on 12 May, Operation Just Keep Swimming aims to increase enforcement of Chinese 301 tariffs on tilapia fillet imports into the United States.
“The program helps import specialists across the nation monitor imports of tilapia from China as a precaution against United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) decision to remove the 25 percent import tariff on frozen tilapia that went into effect in 2018 and grant a retroactive exclusion,” CBP said in a press release. “The exclusion, which provides for frozen tilapia weighing no more than 115 grams each, is among the 177 product exclusions identified in USTR’s Notice of Exclusions published in the Federal Register in March of this year.”
CBP’s Agriculture and Prepared Products Center of Excellence and Expertise (APPCEE) serves as a conduit for food imports by focusing on searching for imports subject to duties, including the additional 25 percent tariffs instituted by Trump as part of the Sino-U.S. trade war.
CBP is the federal government’s second-largest source of revenue through the enforcement of nearly 500 U.S. trade laws and regulations on behalf of 49 different partner government agencies, including the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative. The agency assessed nearly USD 29 billion (EUR 24.9 million) in duties for Section 301 goods from China in 2019, it said in the release.
“Customs and Border Protection has a dual mission to facilitate legitimate cargo and enforce trade laws for CBP and other agencies,” Miami Field Operation Director Diane Sabatino said in a press release. “Working as a team, focusing and coordinating our individual efforts, we achieve far greater results, such as the recovery of trade revenue.”
While CBP has enacted workplace changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have not impacted the Center’s processing operations, according to Center Director Dina Amato.
“We continue to operate at full capacity and remain committed to supporting public needs during this challenging time” Amato said. “It is important import specialists remain engaged with CBP officers and agriculture specialists. at the center, we serve as a bridge between the trade community and the ports of entry.”
Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
