# Seafood traceability software that carries the harvest event through to the entry filing

> Seafood traceability is the ability to follow a fish or fishery product from the harvesting or production event, through every transfer, to the point it enters commerce. The federal Seafood Traceability Program at 50 CFR 300.324 requires harvest and landing data at entry for 13 species groups covering more than 1,100 species, and chain of custody records retained for two years at the importer's place of business. Neurobird holds the lot, its harvest event and every link behind it.

- URL: https://neurobird.com/seafoodtrace/
- Product: Neurobird Seafood Traceability Compliance Platform
- Niche: seafood traceability
- Buyer: seafood importers, processors and distributors
- Status: in development, open for early access
- Updated: 2026-08-21

## What Neurobird Seafood Traceability does

- Hold the harvest or production event per lot: vessel, flag state, gear, authorisation, farm or facility
- Record every transfer, combination and split so the chain back to harvest survives processing
- Assemble the data set required at entry and keep a copy of what was actually filed
- Keep documentation retrievable at your place of business for the full two year retention period

## How it works

1. **Every lot is a record** Species, harvest or production event, landing, and the identifiers that connect the two, held from the first supplier document onward.
2. **Transfers are links** Each change of hands, combination or split is an event on the lot, so the chain of custody assembles itself rather than being reconstructed on demand.
3. **Entry data is kept, not just sent** The data set reported at entry is stored against the lot alongside the supporting records, which is what an audit actually asks for.

## From the source material

> Other records that must be retained include any time the product changes custody, such as processing and shipping.

Source: NOAA SIMP compliance guide, https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/2022-11/SIMPComplianceGuide_PDF.pdf

## Industry context

- **1,100** The programme covers more than 1,100 unique species grouped into 13 species groups identified as particularly vulnerable to illegal fishing, seafood fraud, or both, and reaches about half of all seafood imported into the United States. (source: NOAA Fisheries, SIMP, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/international/international-affairs/seafood-import-monitoring-program)
- **2 years** A paper or electronic copy of all documentation and data sets, and all supporting records the entry filing was based on, must be kept at the importer's place of business for two years from the date of import, export or re-export. (source: eCFR, 50 CFR 300.323, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/section-300.323)
- **2018** Compliance began on 1 January 2018 for the first eleven species groups, with shrimp and abalone becoming effective on 31 December 2018, so the retention obligation has now outlived several supplier relationships. (source: NOAA Fisheries, SIMP, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/international/international-affairs/seafood-import-monitoring-program)
- **30 days** An International Fisheries Trade Permit application must be submitted electronically with the permit fee at least 30 days before the date the applicant wants the permit to take effect, and only United States residents may apply. (source: eCFR, 50 CFR 300.322, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/section-300.322)
- **123.9** Seafood HACCP records must be retained at the processing facility or importer's place of business for at least 1 year for refrigerated products and at least 2 years for frozen, preserved or shelf stable products. (source: eCFR, 21 CFR 123.9, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-123.9)

## Pricing

- Single entity: $220 per entity, per month
- Importer: $440 per entity, per month
- Group: $880 per entity, per month

## Questions

### What is seafood traceability?

Seafood traceability is the ability to follow a fish or fishery product from the harvesting or production event through every transfer to the point it enters commerce. In the United States the federal Seafood Traceability Program at 50 CFR 300.324 requires harvest and landing data to be reported at entry for species groups identified as vulnerable to illegal fishing or fraud, plus chain of custody records back to the harvest.

### What are the species covered by the programme?

Thirteen species groups covering more than 1,100 unique species: abalone, Atlantic cod, Pacific cod, Atlantic blue crab, red king crab, dolphinfish, grouper, red snapper, sea cucumber, sharks, shrimp, swordfish and tunas. Compliance began on 1 January 2018 for the first eleven groups, and on 31 December 2018 for shrimp and abalone.

### How long do the records have to be kept?

Section 300.323(b) requires a paper or electronic copy of all documentation and data sets, plus the supporting records the entry filing was made on, to be kept at the importer's place of business and available for inspection for two years from the date of import, export or re-export.

### Does this replace the entry filing itself?

No. The filing goes through your broker and the trade data system as it does now. What lives here is the lot: the harvest event, the chain of custody, and a copy of what was filed, held where an audit can reach it.

### What about seafood HACCP records?

They run alongside. Under 21 CFR 123.9 records are retained at least one year for refrigerated product and two years for frozen, preserved or shelf stable product, and records about equipment or process adequacy for two years.

### Can it handle aggregated harvests?

Yes. Small scale wild capture and small scale aquaculture are reported as aggregated harvest events, and the lot record carries the aggregation rather than pretending each fish came from one vessel.

## Sources

- [50 CFR 300.324, Seafood Traceability Program](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/section-300.324)
- [50 CFR 300.323, reporting and recordkeeping](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/section-300.323)
- [50 CFR 300.322, International Fisheries Trade Permit](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/section-300.322)
- [NOAA Fisheries, Seafood Import Monitoring Program](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/international/international-affairs/seafood-import-monitoring-program)
- [NOAA SIMP compliance guide](https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/2022-11/SIMPComplianceGuide_PDF.pdf)
- [21 CFR Part 123, fish and fishery products](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-123)

## Contact

- office@neurobird.com
- https://neurobird.com/