IPAFFS Import for Indonesian Seafood: 2025 Complete Guide

A hands-on, error-led walkthrough of how to find and enter the right Indonesian seafood establishment number in IPAFFS, handle multiple plants, and fix the “establishment not recognised” error—so your shipment clears Port Health without drama.

We’ve watched perfectly good consignments get delayed because one character in an establishment code was off. In 2024–2025, with full BTOM controls bedding in, IPAFFS validation for fishery products is less forgiving. This is the complete, practical guide we use internally to get the IPAFFS Indonesian seafood establishment number right, first time.

The 3 pillars of clean IPAFFS pre-notifications

1. Start from the GB-approved list, not the invoice. The approval number you enter must exist on the UK’s GB non-EU approved establishments list for Fishery Products under Indonesia. If it’s not on that list, IPAFFS will often reject the pre-notification and Port Health will not accept the landing.

2. Mirror the health certificate exactly. The establishment(s) shown on the EHC must match what you declare in IPAFFS. Name, approval number and role should line up with the certificate and the health mark on the cartons.

3. Declare everyone who handled the product under approval. If a factory vessel produced the loin, a land-based processor portioned it, and a separate cold store dispatched it, you should add all three. Our rule of thumb: if it’s listed on the certificate or applied a health mark, it belongs in IPAFFS as an establishment.

Practical takeaway: keep a master sheet of each Indonesian supplier’s “GB-approved” names and numbers. We verify these against the gov.uk list every quarter because numbers and statuses do change.

Week 1–2: Validate before you buy

Here’s the thing: most “establishment not recognised” errors could be avoided with a 2-minute check before placing the PO.

Where can I find the GB-approved list of Indonesian fish plants?

Search “GB non-UK approved establishments fishery products gov.uk” and open the page titled “List of non-UK establishments approved to export to Great Britain.” Filter by Country: Indonesia and Category: Fishery products. The list shows the establishment name, address and approval number exactly as Port Health expects to see it. Use that exact approval number in IPAFFS.

In our experience, 3 out of 5 mismatches come from using an internal factory code from the invoice rather than the GB-approved code.

What counts as the establishment for Indonesian seafood on IPAFFS?

• The approved establishment is the facility or vessel that produced, processed or stored the product under approval and health marking.
• It’s not necessarily the exporter. Traders and exporters often don’t have an approval number, and using their company number will trigger a rejection.
• For fish and crustaceans like Grouper Fillet (IQF) or Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught), the “establishment” is typically the processing plant and any cold store named on the certificate. Factory vessels count as establishments.

Practical takeaway: ask your supplier to send the GB-approved establishment number(s) they’ll use on the health certificate before you lock the PO. Cross-check with the GB list.

Week 3–6: Entering establishments in IPAFFS without errors

This is where typos and misunderstandings creep in. Slow down for 90 seconds and you’ll save days.

Where do I enter the processing plant code in IPAFFS fish products?

• After you create the pre-notification and select the commodity, you’ll see an “Establishments” section.
• Click “Add establishment.” Choose role: Processing plant, Cold store, Factory vessel, or Dispatch establishment (naming can vary slightly by screen version).
• Enter the name and approval number exactly as per the GB list and health certificate. Don’t add prefixes or spaces that don’t exist on the list.
• Repeat for each additional establishment shown on the certificate.

Pro tip: copy-paste the approval number from your master sheet. Avoid manual typing on deadline days.

The exporter and the processor are different—whose number goes into IPAFFS?

Use the processor’s approval number, not the exporter. If a trading company is the exporter but the processing happened at a plant, you must enter the plant’s GB-approved number. If the goods were dispatched from a different approved cold store that appears on the certificate, add that cold store as a second establishment with the correct role.

How do I add a cold store or factory vessel used before export?

Add every establishment in the chain that is listed on the EHC:

• Factory vessel that produced or froze the raw material.
• Land plant that filleted or portioned the product.
• Cold store that held and dispatched the consignment.

Use “Add establishment” for each one and select the appropriate role. In my experience, Port Health officers appreciate seeing the whole chain declared. It reduces queries.

Should the establishment number match the health certificate and the health mark?

Yes. The number in IPAFFS should match the establishment on the certificate and the health mark on the outer cartons. If you’re looking at our Grouper Bites (Portion Cut), the plant number on the box’s oval health mark must align with the certificate. If your supplier plans to apply a different mark at a dispatch cold store, make sure both plants are listed on the certificate and you add both in IPAFFS.

Practical takeaway: ask the supplier for a draft certificate or a specimen label showing the health mark. Match those numbers when you create the pre-notification.

Week 7–12: Systemize so you never chase numbers again

We recommend two small habits that pay off:

• Build a supplier matrix. For every Indonesian processor, factory vessel and cold store you use, keep a one-pager with their GB-approved name, approval number, typical product lines and who applies the final health mark. Update quarterly.
• Align your PO and spec language. State the exact approved plant(s) required for the order. If they switch cold stores, they must tell you before loading so you can update IPAFFS.

What’s interesting is how quickly teams cut post-arrival queries once they standardize this. Two to three weeks of discipline usually does it.

The 5 biggest mistakes that kill IPAFFS pre-notifications

1. Using a company registration or “NIB” instead of the approval number. Fix: only use the approval number from the GB list. If the supplier sends a different format, push back.

2. Typos and formatting mismatches. Fix: check for added spaces, extra dashes, missing zeros. Use the number exactly as displayed on the GB non-EU approved list for Indonesia. If the list shows leading zeros, keep them.

3. Selecting the wrong category in the GB list. Fix: make sure you’re in Fishery products, not bivalve molluscs or live animals. Port Health establishment validation can fail if you pick a plant approved for a different product category.

4. Declaring only the exporter. Fix: add the processing plant and any cold store or factory vessel named on the certificate. In IPAFFS, add multiple establishments with the correct roles.

5. Mismatch with the health certificate. Fix: the certificate rules. If the EHC names Plant A and Cold Store B, put both into IPAFFS, even if your invoice only shows Plant A.

“Establishment not recognised” in IPAFFS—how do I fix it?

Run this quick checklist:

• Country set to Indonesia and product type is Fishery products.
• Approval number exactly as on the GB list. Try removing/adding spaces or hyphens to mirror the list.
• Confirm the establishment is still active on the GB list. We’ve seen late-2024 updates remove facilities temporarily.
• Cross-check the EHC. If the certificate uses a different plant or a consolidated cold store, declare that number.
• If all else fails, contact Port Health with a screenshot of the GB list entry and your pre-not. Sometimes the list sync lags in IPAFFS. You may be asked to upload evidence.

Need help with a live pre-notification or a rejection you can’t clear? You can reach out via WhatsApp. We’ll sanity-check the establishment chain and share the exact fields to adjust.

Can I import if the Indonesian plant isn’t on the GB approved list yet?

Short answer: no. If a plant isn’t on the GB non-EU approved establishments list for Fishery products, you can’t legally place that product on the GB market. Your options:

• Ask the supplier to use an alternative GB-approved plant or cold store already on the list.
• Ask the supplier’s competent authority to nominate the plant for GB approval. Realistically, this can take weeks to months. It’s not a same-week fix.

We’ve learned to build “fallback plants” into our sourcing so urgent loads don’t stall.

How to match the EHC plant number to IPAFFS without guesswork

• Get a draft EHC or a signed template from the supplier before departure. Match plant names and numbers to the GB list.
• Confirm who applies the final health mark. If a dispatch cold store re-marks cartons, list both establishments in IPAFFS.
• Keep the label photo. Port Health loves seeing the health mark when there’s a question.

Resources and next steps

If you buy Indonesian whitefish or tuna regularly, systemize once and reuse. We maintain master profiles for plants that produce items like Sweetlip Fillet (IQF) and Yellowfin Steak, and pre-fill the correct approval numbers so pre-notifications take minutes, not hours.

If you’re building your range or want a consistent supply from GB-approved establishments, you can also view our products for specification ideas and typical pack formats we run through approved plants. Questions about a specific project or Port Health feedback you’ve received? Give us a call and we’ll walk through the establishment chain with you on a real example.

The reality is, once you anchor on the GB list and mirror the EHC, IPAFFS becomes predictable. And predictable is exactly what you want when a container of high-grade seafood is on the water and a buyer’s allocation depends on you getting one field right.