US SIMP For Indonesian Seafood: Complete 2026 Guide

A practical, step-by-step SIMP data handover kit for Indonesian tuna exporters. Exactly what to collect, how to map Indonesian documents to NOAA SIMP Key Data Elements, and how to format vessel and chain-of-custody lists so your US broker clears ACE without holds.

If you export Indonesian tuna to the US, you already know SIMP can make or break a customs clearance. The good news is a clean, well-formatted data packet nearly always sails through. In our experience, when holds happen, they’re caused by the same small mistakes. This guide shows the exact SIMP KDE checklist for Indonesian tuna and the two spreadsheets your US broker actually needs.

The 3 pillars of fast SIMP clearance

Complete KDEs. Every Key Data Element answered without guesswork or conflicting fields.
Local-to-NOAA mapping. Indonesian documents translated cleanly into SIMP terms and codes.
Broker-ready formatting. A vessel list and a lot-level chain-of-custody sheet that drop straight into ACE.

Here’s the system we use for handline and pole-and-line tuna across SKUs like Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade), Bigeye Steak and Skipjack Cube (WGGS / IQF).

Week 1–2: Collect and map the data (your SIMP KDE checklist)

Start by pinning each SIMP field to a specific Indonesian record. We keep this short and unambiguous because brokers don’t want PDFs thrown over the wall. They want answers they can type into ACE without a callback.

What exact SIMP data your importer needs

Species. Common and scientific name. Example: Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares.
Product form and quantity. Form at import (loin, saku, steak, cube) and net weight.
Harvest details. Vessel name and identifier, flag state, gear type, harvest date or date range, FAO area, landing port and date.
Chain of custody. Every company that handled the lot after landing, with dates, locations, lot IDs and weight at each step.
Transshipment details. Required if any transfer at sea occurred.
Importer permit. Importer’s valid NOAA IFTP number for ACE.

Which Indonesian documents map to each SIMP KDE

Vessel name and identifier. Vessel registration certificate or SIPI license list from the aggregator. For small boats without IMO, use national registration number and, if available, radio call sign. This is acceptable under SIMP for Indonesian artisanal vessels.
Flag state. Always Indonesia for domestically flagged vessels.
Gear type. From vessel logbook, purchase receipt at landing station or supplier attestation. For handline use FAO gear code LHP. For pole-and-line use PL. If your broker prefers text, use Handline or Pole and Line exactly.
Harvest date or range. Landing receipt from TPI/auction or supplier delivery note. For multi-day trips, provide a start and end date.
Harvest area. Map WPPNRI to FAO area using the guide below.
Landing port/date. Landing receipt or BKIPM inspection record.
Product form and quantity. Your production batch record and packing list.
Chain of custody. Goods receipt notes, internal lot traveler, subcontract mini-plant records, transfer notes to the exporter’s cold store.
Sanitary compliance. BKIPM Health Certificate for the final lot is not a SIMP KDE, but we include it for cross-reference because brokers often check dates and plant IDs against it.

Quick mapping: WPPNRI to FAO fishing area

WPPNRI 571, 572, 573. Report FAO Area 57.
WPPNRI 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718. Report FAO Area 71. Tip. If a trip straddles zones that cross 57 and 71, do not mix them in one SIMP lot. Split the lot by FAO area to avoid an ACE mismatch.

Week 3–6: Build the two spreadsheets brokers love

We package SIMP as two sheets plus your commercial set. They’re small, consistent and reduce back-and-forth to near zero.

SIMP Vessel List (one row per catching vessel in the lot)

Recommended columns

Vessel Name
Vessel Identifier. Prefer in this order: IMO or UVI, national registration no., radio call sign. For small Indonesian boats, national reg no. is fine.
Flag State. Indonesia.
Gear Type. LHP or PL, or text Handline/Pole and Line if your broker requests that format.
Harvest Start Date and Harvest End Date. Use YYYY-MM-DD.
WPPNRI Zone(s)
FAO Area. 57 or 71.
Landing Port and Landing Date.
Weight Contribution (kg) to lot. If unknown per vessel, provide best estimate. Ensure the sum matches your lot.

How to list many small vessels without causing a hold

Keep one SIMP lot per FAO area and gear type. Mixing LHP and PL or areas 57 and 71 in one line is the fastest way to trigger an ACE query.
Use clean identifiers. If no IMO, use the exact national reg number from the vessel card. Don’t invent internal IDs.
Use realistic date ranges. One to four weeks per small-boat aggregation has worked well. We avoid ranges over 60 days for artisanal supply because auditors question traceability depth.

Chain-of-Custody and Transformation Log (lot-level)

Recommended columns

Lot ID and Product. For example: YF-SAKU-2026-03-15-A. Tie it to the SKU like Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade) or Bigeye Loin.
Entity Name and Address. Mini-plant, processor, cold storage, exporter.
Activity. Receive whole fish, fillet, portion to saku/loin/steak/cube, pack, export.
Date In and Date Out.
Input Weight (kg) and Output Weight (kg). Keep your yield math tight. Brokers check if export net weight is plausible versus landed raw weight.
Document Reference. Internal GRN, production order, invoice number.

Do you need to upload scans to ACE

Usually no. Your US importer files structured data in ACE. But include a zipped evidence pack for their records. We add the BKIPM Health Certificate, packing list, commercial invoice, and any transshipment authorization if relevant.

Transshipment reporting for Indonesia

If fish were transferred at sea, add a row to the vessel list for the carrier with Name, Flag, Date, Location coordinates if available, and authorization reference. If there was no transshipment, state “No transshipment” on your cover note. We see fewer questions when this is stated explicitly.

Week 7–12: Scale and stress-proof your compliance

Pre-clear with your broker. Email your two spreadsheets for a dry run before the container sails. We catch 90 percent of issues at this stage.
Standardize lot coding. Align lot IDs on the carton label, production record and SIMP sheets.
Maintain a monthly vessel master. Keep a living file of small boats you buy from with fixed identifiers, gear and typical WPPNRI zones. Updating harvest dates becomes a 5-minute job.
Align products to predictable formats. For repeat SKUs like Yellowfin Steak or Yellowfin Cube (IQF), lock product names and forms so brokers don’t have to translate “sashimi block” vs “saku.”

We’ve noticed in the past year that ACE validation catches more simple mismatches. Area codes and gear labels are common tripwires. Precise wording saves time.

Common questions we get from Indonesian tuna exporters

What exact data do I send my US importer to clear SIMP

The two spreadsheets above.
Commercial invoice, packing list, BL, and BKIPM Health Certificate for cross-checking.
A cover email with species, FAO area, gear, total net weight and a line that confirms the importer holds a valid IFTP permit.

Which gear code should I use for handline and pole-and-line

Handline. FAO LHP or the text Handline.
Pole-and-line. FAO PL or the text Pole and Line. Ask your broker which they prefer in ACE. Consistency across shipments beats perfection.

Do small Indonesian boats need an IMO number for SIMP

No. SIMP accepts national vessel registration numbers and, if available, radio call signs for small boats. Use what’s on the vessel’s registration paper or SIPI list. Never leave the identifier blank.

How do I convert Indonesia’s WPPNRI zones to FAO areas

571, 572, 573 map to FAO 57.
711–718 map to FAO 71. When in doubt, show both the WPPNRI zone and FAO area in your vessel list. It reduces questions during audits.

How should I structure the SIMP vessel list and chain-of-custody sheets for ACE

Keep to the columns above. One row per catching vessel. One row per chain-of-custody step. Use ISO dates and whole kilograms. Make sure the sum of Weight Contribution equals the exported net weight for that lot.

What do I send my broker for mixed-lot tuna so ACE doesn’t hold it

Separate lots by FAO area and gear. Provide a vessel list with identifiers and date ranges. Provide a chain-of-custody sheet with yields. If any at-sea transfer happened, include the carrier details and authorization reference.

The 5 mistakes that trigger SIMP holds (and how to avoid them)

Mixed FAO areas in one lot. Split 57 and 71 into separate entries.
Vague vessel identifiers. Replace “local boat” with the exact national reg number from the registration document.
Gear label mismatch. Broker files Handline but your evidence says Pole and Line. Align your sheets with your source docs.
Unrealistic harvest ranges. A 6-month range on artisanal supply looks like weak traceability. Keep it to practical windows tied to real landings.
Weight math gaps. Export net weight exceeds plausible yield from the listed landings. Show inputs and outputs so reviewers can follow the chain.

Resources and next steps

If you want a quick review of your SIMP packet before sailing, need a vessel-list template, or want us to pre-map WPPNRI to FAO for your supply area, Contact us on whatsapp. We’ll flag issues we’ve seen stall ACE and share the exact column formats our brokers accept.

And if you need consistent tuna formats that slot into the same SIMP workflow, browse our export-ready SKUs. View our products.