Questions to Ask Before Importing Seafood from Indonesia

A buyer-first playbook to check FDA Import Alerts (DWPE) on Indonesian seafood before you place a PO. Step-by-step search tactics, how to read 16-120 (shrimp) and 16-129 (histamine species), and the exact questions that prevent costly detentions.

We’ve helped buyers slash FDA detentions to almost zero in 90 days using the same due‑diligence routine we’re sharing here. If you’re lining up Indonesian seafood for the U.S., this is the checklist you run before you issue a PO. No fluff. Just the steps and questions that keep you off the FDA radar.

The three pillars of DWPE risk control

Verify Import Alert exposure. Find out if your supplier, owner, or product is on a red list, and whether there’s a viable Green List path. In our experience, this single check prevents 3 out of 5 avoidable detentions.
Match product codes and charge codes correctly. Import Alerts are enforced by product code and charge code. If your product code aligns with an alert, PREDICT will target you. Build the right code and read the alert notes.
Plan your evidence to overcome. When a supplier is on FDA DWPE seafood alerts, you’ll need third‑party testing and documentation that matches the alert’s criteria. The right evidence releases shipments faster and lays groundwork for Green List removal.

Practical takeaway: Don’t place a PO until you’ve run those three steps. It takes 30 minutes and can save months of storage fees.

Week 1–2: Your pre‑PO verification workflow

Here’s the sequence we use with new buyers.

Search Import Alerts for your supplier.

Go to FDA’s Import Alerts index: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/
Open the specific alert pages you care about. For Indonesian seafood, two heavy hitters are 16-120 (commonly used for shrimp and aquaculture drug residues) and 16-129 (histamine species like tuna, mahi, wahoo, mackerel):
- 16-120: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_16-120.html
- 16-129: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_16-129.html
Click Red List. Use Ctrl+F to search by firm name, owner, and city. If you don’t find them, try shorter strings and remove accents or punctuation. We’ve seen firms listed under an old name or the owning group rather than the plant.

Cross‑check refusals and name variations.

FDA’s refusal reports (OASIS): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/importrefusals/
Search by country and product keywords. Look for your supplier’s address or known FEI number. If you only see the importer’s name, ask the supplier for past U.S. entry numbers so you can triangulate.

Build the FDA product code you’ll declare.

Use the FDA Product Code Builder: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ora/pcb/index.cfm
Select industry, species, and process. Match IQF vs block, raw vs cooked, etc. Your final code determines whether PREDICT targets you under an import alert. Small miscodes lead to big headaches.

Read the alert notes and charge codes carefully.

16-120 flags shrimp for unapproved drugs. Look for charge codes tied to nitrofurans, chloramphenicol, or “new animal drug” residues. See if the listing is product‑specific or firm‑wide.
16-129 covers histamine species. Listings often cite “Histamine in seafood” and require evidence that your HACCP controls prevent time–temperature abuse.

Practical takeaway: Screenshot your findings and keep them with your PO approval packet. It creates a paper trail and aligns your team on risk.

The exact questions to ask your Indonesian supplier

Are you, your owner, or any of your addresses on an FDA Import Alert Red List? Which alerts and since when?
If you’ve been listed, what corrective actions and timeline have you documented for Green List removal?
What product codes will we declare for each item? Can we review them together before we book the container?
For histamine species, can you share the time–temperature logs and pre‑ship histamine data from the last three months? What method and lab do you use?
For shrimp, what are your current drug residue controls? Do you have recent third‑party COAs covering nitrofurans and chloramphenicol by lot?
Have any of your lots been detained, refused, or reconditioned in the past 12 months? Under which charge codes?
If we need to overcome DWPE, can you support FDA‑recognized sampling protocols on arrival? Which U.S. lab do you prefer and what is the expected turnaround?

When this advice applies: Use these questions before any first PO and any time you switch species or formats. If you’re buying tuna today and adding mahi next quarter, rerun the checks because 16‑129 applies across multiple species.

Week 3–6: First shipments and evidence to overcome

If your supplier is Red Listed under 16‑120 or 16‑129, plan for DWPE at the port. That means the shipment can be detained without physical examination until you provide evidence to overcome the “appearance of violation.” In practice, this often means:

Third‑party U.S. lab testing of the specific detained lot, following the alert’s sampling and method notes.
Supporting documents. HACCP records, harvest dates and times, storage temps, and proof of cold-chain integrity for histamine species. Farm and harvest records plus drug audits for shrimp.

Here’s the thing. A clean COA from origin helps, but FDA typically relies on U.S. sampling when you’re Red Listed. We’ve seen releases in 7–14 days when the paperwork is tight and the lab is aligned early.

Example species: If you’re buying histamine‑sensitive items like Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade), Mahi Mahi Fillet, Wahoo Portion (IQF / IVP / IWP), or swordfish formats like Swordfish Steak (IQF), build your evidence plan before the container sails. For shrimp, align residue testing expectations against 16‑120. Our Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught) customers usually pre‑agree on target analytes and LODs.

Need help reading an Import Alert entry or building the right product code for your item? If you want a quick sanity check on a PO, feel free to Contact us on whatsapp.

Week 7–12: Green List strategy and longer‑term fixes

If a supplier is stuck on the Red List, the near‑term goal is clean releases. The longer‑term goal is removal. Most seafood alerts require multiple consecutive non‑violative shipments. We commonly see five, sometimes more, plus a removal petition with root‑cause analysis, corrective actions, and verification data. Who files it? Either the foreign firm or the U.S. importer of record, but the exporter must supply the technical dossier.

What’s interesting is that Green List removal tends to accelerate once your lot documentation is consistent. We recommend assigning one “evidence owner” on the supplier side and one on the importer side. That removes ambiguity and speeds FDA Q&A.

Practical takeaway: Ask your supplier to show a draft removal packet early. If they hesitate, assume you’ll be managing DWPE for longer.

Straight answers to the questions buyers ask us

What does FDA DWPE mean for my Indonesian seafood shipment?

Your container can be detained on arrival without physical examination based on the Import Alert listing. Release typically requires U.S. lab results and supporting records that address the specific charge code. Expect storage and testing fees while the lot is on hold.

How do I check if a specific Indonesian plant is on Import Alert?

Open the relevant alert page. Check Red List and Green List. Search by firm name, owner, city, and even street fragments. If you still don’t see them, scan FDA refusal data for the address. Name variations and holding companies are common.

If a supplier is on 16-120 for shrimp, can they still ship non‑shrimp items?

Often yes, because listings describe the product scope. But PREDICT can still target other entries from the same firm for exam. Read the alert notes carefully and plan for heightened scrutiny until the firm builds a clean track record.

Does a histamine COA prevent detention under 16-129?

No. A negative histamine COA from origin doesn’t override DWPE. It helps contextually, but FDA usually requires U.S. sampling for Red Listed firms. Build for that reality.

Why can’t I find my supplier—should I search by firm name, owner, or address?

All of the above. Try the owner’s corporate name, previous legal names, and short city strings. We’ve found firms listed under an old exporter name while their labels show a new brand.

How long does it take to get off the FDA red list and who files the petition?

Assume 60–120 days after you start shipping clean lots and submit a robust dossier. Many alerts call for at least five consecutive non‑violative shipments. The exporter supplies the technical file. The exporter or U.S. importer can submit the removal request per the alert’s instructions.

Will a shipment be held even if prior notice is filed correctly if the firm is on Import Alert?

Yes. Prior Notice acceptance and DWPE are separate. PREDICT can place a hold or DWPE detention even when PN is perfect.

Common mistakes that trigger avoidable delays

Treating all tuna as one risk profile. 16‑129 applies broadly to histamine species. Wahoo might be targeted just like tuna. Align your plan per species and format.
Misbuilding the product code. A wrong code can misalign you with a different alert or delay your release. Validate codes before booking.
Relying only on origin COAs. For DWPE, plan for U.S. sampling. Pre‑line up the lab and sampling instructions with your customs broker.
Ignoring Green List notes. Some import alerts have specific removal criteria. If you don’t mirror them, your petition stalls.

Practical takeaway: Run a 10‑minute pre‑ship huddle among supplier quality, your broker, and your logistics team. It pays for itself the first time you avoid a week of storage.

Resources and next steps

FDA Import Alerts index: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/
16-120 (shrimp/aquaculture drugs): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_16-120.html
16-129 (histamine species): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_16-129.html
FDA Product Code Builder: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/ora/pcb/index.cfm
FDA Import Refusals (OASIS): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/importrefusals/

We’re happy to walk through an alert listing or sanity‑check a first‑PO plan. If you already know the items you need, you can also View our products and we’ll map each to the right product codes and risk profile.

In our experience, buyers who ask the tough questions early sail through. Those who don’t, end up paying storage while waiting on a lab report they could’ve planned three weeks earlier. If you’d like a second set of eyes on your plan, just ping us. We live this every day.