The Overseas Market Introduction Service ("OMIS") is provided by the Commercial Departments of Diplomatic

Service Posts overseas as part of the joint trade development operation, UK Trade & Investment, of the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office ("the FCO") and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (“BIS”).

Whereas every effort has been made to ensure that information provided through OMIS is accurate, these

Commercial Departments, UKTI, the FCO and BIS accept no liability for any errors, omissions or misleading

statements in such information and accept no responsibility as to the standing of any firm, company or

individual mentioned. Any party interested in the goods or services provided by any company referred to in

OMIS material should undertake their own research and should not consider a reference in OMIS material to be

an endorsement of any goods, services or companies mentioned.

USA

Overseas Market Introduction Service

on Market Research for

Sea Fish Industry Authority

Produced by:

Lauren Dickerson

Niall Gordon

Julia Orlov

New York

Date of Report: 14 September 2015

2

CONTENTS

PAGE

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

II. TRADE ENVIRONMENT 5

- Demographics of the US Market 5

III. LEADING SEAFOOD IMPORTS AND EXPORTS 6

IV. LANDINGS 10

V. KEY PORTS 12

VI. US CONSUMPTION & TRENDS 15

VII. ROUTE TO MARKET 16

- UK Export Opportunities 16

- Supply Structure 16

- Retail Chains 17

- Foodservice Chains 18

VIII. KEY REGULATIONS AND TARIFFS 19

- Food and Drug Administration Requirements 19

- Customs and Border Protection Requirements 20

- Fish and Wildlife Service Requirements 20

- Food and Drug Administration Import Procedure 21 IX. USEFUL LINKS 23

- Associations 24

- Publications 24

- Trade Shows 24

X. CONTRIBUTORS 25

3

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

SUMMARY OF THE ENQUIRY

Seafish Industry Authority (Seafish) commissioned this research to have a brief market

overview of the US seafood industry.

METHODOLOGY

A variety of sources were used when preparing this report including:

Commercial and customised databases

Internet research

Trade associations and other relevant organisations

4

KEY FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS

1. UKTI found that the US is the largest single importer of fish and fishery products

globally. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported

that in 2014, the US imported 2,523,120 metric tonnes of edible fishery

products.

2. Seafish should be aware of the three major trade shows in the US: the Seafood

Expo/Seafood Processing America, Aquaculture America Exposition and Global

Seafood Market Conference.

3. Seafish should advise UK fisheries that shrimp, salmon, canned tuna, tilapia,

and pollock are the most consumed seafood in the US.

4. Seafish should advise UK companies that they will need to consider the large

size of the USA when visiting the market. Long distances between (and within)

cities are the rule, and it is not unusual to have difficulty scheduling more than

three or four appointments in the course of a day, even within the same city.

5. In the USA, product literature is generally produced in 8.5-inch by 11-inch

format. Seafish should consider suggesting to UK companies to produce

literature destined for the USA in this size, so it will fit into US files. Seafish

Industry Authority should be sure to use imperial measurements rather than

metric measurements (except for scientific products), and to have their

literature checked for US spelling changes, grammar, and nuances.

6. Seafish should also consider taking advantage of the U.S. Press Release Service

offered by UKTI. This service is intended to raise awareness of a service, brand

or product line that we feel has a compelling hook in the US market. A press

release will be written and approved by Seafish. It is then targeted at trade

journals and other media in the USA. This service must be commissioned

through the Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS). For more

information, please contact ResearchUSA (researchusa@fco.gov.uk).

5

II. TRADE ENVIRONMENT

The economy of the United States of America is one of the most developed and strongest

economies of the world with a per capita GDP of $54,800.

Demographics of the US Market

Population (2015 est.) 321.4 million

Land Area 9.16 million sq. km

Capital Washington, D.C.

Other main cities New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami , San Francisco,

Dallas, Houston

Language (2011 est.) English 79.2%, Spanish 12.9%, other Indo-European

3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 3.3%, other 0.9%

Currency USD ($)

Exchange rate $:£ = 1.55

Total food imports (2013

est.)

$109.46 billion

Total food exports (2013

est.)

$144.4 billion

Top 3 import partners

(2013)

China 19.6%, Canada 14.6%, Mexico 12.3%

According to the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry of Australia, the US

offers a sophisticated seafood market characterised by:

growing import trade

strong currency

low tariff barriers

low non-tariff barriers

well-developed network of transport and logistics

well developed markets offering good price for quality product

stable quarantine and bureaucratic establishment

business conducted in English language

NOAA reported that US consumers spent roughly $86.5 billion on fishery products in

2013, including $57.9 billion at food service establishments and $28.1 billion on home

consumption.

6

III. LEADING SEAFOOD IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

Source: NOAA

The US is the world’s largest importer of fish and fishery products, with Japan and China

following in second and third place, respectively. Over three-fourths of the seafood

consumed in the US is imported, the bulk originating in China, Thailand, Canada,

Indonesia, Vietnam, and Ecuador. In fact, NOAA estimates that US seafood production

accounts for only 2% of US consumption. According to the Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations, the US imports roughly 13% of global seafood by

value.

7

Source: NOAA

NOAA valued US imports of edible fishery products in 2014 at $20.2 billion, an increase

of 12% from 2013. The US imported 2.5 million metric tonnes of seafood in 2014. Edible

imports included 2 million tonnes of fresh and frozen products valued at $17.8 billion and

312,138 tonnes of canned products valued at $1.9 billion.

Approximately 567,551 tonnes of shrimp were imported in 2014. Valued at $6.7billion,

shrimp imports accounted for 33% of total import value. 301,280 tonnes of fresh and

frozen salmon were imported and valued at $2.7 billion. Fresh and frozen tuna imports

were 166,272 tonnes, a decrease of 19.7% from the preceding year, valued at $951

million. Canned tuna imports also decreased, dropping down 12.4% to 155,193 tonnes

valued at $94.4 million.

8

Source: NOAA

The US imported $125 million of edible fish product from the UK in 2013 and $153

million in 2014 for both edible and non-edible fish product. Leading import partners for

edible fish product in 2013 included China, Canada, and Thailand.

Source: NOAA

In 2014, the US exported 1.5 million tonnes valued at $5.3 billion, with fresh and frozen

exports were 1.4 million tonnes valued at $4.6 billion. This category consisted of

9

158,492 tonnes of salmon valued at $581.2 million, 178,493 tonnes of surimi valued at

$411.8 million and 51,668 tonnes of lobsters valued at $301.3 million.

10

IV. LANDINGS

Overall commercial landings value has been, for the most part, increasing since 2008,

although shellfish landings have experienced a few fluctuations. In 2013, total value was

estimated at $5.54 billion, an 8% increase from the 2012. Total volume stood at 4.45

million metric tonnes, a 4% increase from 2012.

Source: NOAA

Source: NOAA

11

Source: NOAA

12

V. KEY PORTS

In 2013, Dutch Harbor, Alaska received the most trade by volume of all ports in the US,

followed by the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and Kodiak, Alaska.

Top 10 US Ports by Volume, 2013

Rank Port Volume

(Millions of Pounds)

1 Dutch Harbor, AK 752.5

2 Aleutian Islands (Other),

AK

469.5

3 Kodiak, AK 425.6

4 Empire-Venice, LA 421.9

5 Reedville, VA 317.7

6 Intracoastal City, LA 248.9

7 Cameron, LA 194.7

8 Alaska Peninsula (Other),

AK

187.2

9 Pascagoula-Moss Point, MS 171.1

10 Astoria, OR 158.7

Source: NOAA

13

On the other hand, it was New Bedford, Massachusetts which received the most seafood-related trade by value.

Top 10 US Ports by Value, 2013

Rank Port Value (Millions of

Dollars)

1 New Bedford, MA 379

2 Dutch Harbor, AK 197.2

3 Kodiak, AK 153.6

4 Aleutian Islands (Other),

AK

104.9

5 Alaska Peninsula (Other),

AK

102.1

6 Honolulu, HI 95

7 Cordova, AK 91.5

8 Naknek, AK 88.6

9 Sitka, AK 84.3

10 Empire-Venice, LA 82.5

Source: NOAA

14

VI. US CONSUMPTION & TRENDS

In an effort to be more health conscious, Americans may increase the amount

of fish in their diet.

The growing incidence of heart disease in America is well-documented; according to the

Seafood Nutrition Partnership, heart disease alone results in at least 800,000 deaths per

year in the US. Health organisations such as the American Heart Association recommend

the intake of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week, although only 25% of

Americans adhere to the suggestions.

There is a rising demand for safe seafood.

Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses such as E.coli and salmonella, paired with ecological

concerns following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear

disaster have made consumers more cautious about their food sources. According to

IBISWorld, per capita consumption of seafood declined 5.7% in 2011 and 4.7% in 2012.

While some consumers are reacting by turning to locally-farmed seafood, there still

remains concern over potentially hazardous fish procured from the Pacific Ocean and the

Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration as well as health

organisations advise that pregnant and nursing women reduce their fish intake due to

potential mercury toxicity.

Consumption Patterns

US fish consumption has decreased by almost 16% since 2005, when Americans

consumed a record 16.6 pounds per capita.

NOAA’s 2013 report estimated that the average American ate 14.5 pounds of fish and

shellfish in 2013, a 0.7% increase from 14.4 pounds in 2012. Per capita consumption of

fresh and frozen products remained constant at 10.5 pounds. Fresh and frozen finfish

consumption was at 5.6 pounds per person, while fresh and frozen shellfish, primarily

shrimp, accounted for 4.9 pounds per person. Canned fish product consumption was

reported as 3.7 pounds, a 2% increase from the preceding year. Cured fish accounted

for 0.3 pounds per capita, the same as the year before.

Shrimp, salmon, and canned tuna accounted for 59% of total seafood consumption in

2013. The top ten consumed species have been consistent for the past ten years, with

the exception of tilapia, whose share has increased steadily, scallops and flatfish, which

have moved in and out of the list. Consumption of this freshwater fish has nearly

doubled in the past five years, when per capita consumption was at 0.41 pounds.

Top 10 Species by Consumption, 2013

Rank Species Per Capita Consumption

15

(Pounds)

1 Shrimp 3.6

2 Salmon 2.7

3 Canned Tuna 2.3

4 Tilapia 1.4

5 Alaska Pollock 1.2

6 Pangasius 0.8

7 Cod 0.6

8 Catfish 0.6

9 Crab 0.4

10 Clams 0.4

16

VII. ROUTE TO MARKET

UK Export Opportunities

According to NOAA’s import database, the top UK seafood imports to the US by value in

2014 were Atlantic salmon, followed by trout, canned sardines, and mackerel. The UK

imported approximately $87 million of whole or eviscerated salmon and $47 million of

fillets. Considering the popularity of salmon, and especially salmon fillets in the US,

salmon exports present a strong market opportunity for British fisheries. Furthermore,

British companies can take advantage of the trends mentioned in the previous section,

including health and safety consciousness, by positioning themselves as producers of

nutrient-rich seafood sourced from clean waters.

Supply Structure

The US seafood industry is very dynamic and fragmented with the presence of

importers, regional distributors, wholesalers and sales brokers who form the major

actors in the supply chain. UK exporters entering the market for the first time might find

this slightly challenging and even inefficient in comparison to the UK.

Direct to Retailer

This method is best for either exceptionally small or exceptionally large product orders or

private label businesses. With the former, a small exporter may have an opportunity to

sell small quantities directly to the retailer. The retailer may manage all importing

dealings and logistics to store; or may not. Larger companies may handle these details

themselves. Thai Union Group, for example, bypasses wholesalers by operating its own

Wholesaler/Distributor

Fisheries

Local

Retailers

Importers

National Supermarkets

Ex: Wal-Mart, Kroger

UK

USA

Wholesale Clubs

Ex: Costco, Sam’s Club

Restaurants Ex: Red Lobster,

Bonefish Grill

Sales Brokers

17

manufacturers’ sales branches and offices (MSBOs). More businesses are deploying this

strategy to cut on operating and ultimately retail costs.

Importer/Distributor

Most companies use an importer to secure product within the US. The importers then sell

these products (at a marked-up price) to a distributor, wholesaler, chain warehouse or

foodservice distributor. The distributor will sell product into retail outlets. Most

distributors are specialised, as some deal with certain supermarket chains,

independents, etc.

Sales Broker

Food brokers are essentially sales people for hire. Given the huge number of US stores

selling food, no company can afford an employed sales force that would cover more than

a small fraction of the store universe. Brokers work on a commission basis, and may also

charge retainers to work on introducing new products from smaller companies. Typical

grocery commissions range from 2 to 5% of the product’s wholesale price.

Retail Chains

Roughly one-third of seafood consumed in the US is purchased at supermarkets and

local retailers for home consumption. Large retailers end to stock internationally-sourced

products.

Top 10 Supermarket Chains

Company No. of Stores US Retail Sales

($ billion)

Websites

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 4,024 288.05 www.walmart.com

The Kroger Co. 2,625 108.5 www.thekrogerco.com

AB Acquisition LLC 2,238 56.44 www.albertsons.com

www.safeway.com

Publix Super Market Inc. 1,097 30.56 www.publix.com

Ahold USA Inc. 761 25.98 www.aholdusa.com

H-E-B Grocery Co. 363 22.59 www.heb.com

Delhaize America Inc. 1,296 16.90 www.delhaizegroup.com

Meijer Inc. 213 15.40 www.meijer.com

Wakefern Food Corp. 141 14.70 www.wakefern.shoprite.com

Whole Foods Market 414 14.19 www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Source: Progressive Grocer

18

Foodservice Chains

About two-thirds of the seafood consumed in the US is purchased at restaurants and

other food service establishments. Items such as fish portions, breaded shrimp, and

clams tend be most commonly served at chain restaurants. Seafood may also be used in

a variety of meals offered by mid-priced restaurants.

Top 5 Seafood Restaurant Chains

Restaurant Chain No. of

Outlets

Revenue

(In $ million)

Websites

Landry's Inc. 450 3000 www.landrysinc.com/concepts

Red Lobster 679 2600 www.redlobster.com

Bonefish Grill 206 622 www.bonefishgrill.com

Long Johns Silvers 1200 555.1 www.ljsilvers.com

Captain D's Seafood 520 499.9 www.captainds.com

Source: Nation’s Restaurant News

19

VIII. KEY REGULATIONS AND TARIFFS

Imported fish or seafood products cannot legally enter the US until the merchandise has

been authorised by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA), and estimated duties have been paid. It is the importer’s

responsibility to arrange the examination and release of the goods.

Food and Drug Administration Requirements

All domestic and imported edible seafood products intended for consumption in the US

market are subject to regulation and examination by the FDA. In practice, the FDA

conducts only a small number of inspections on seafood imports, typically when there

has been cause for concern, as the examinations are expensive.

All exporters will have to register their food facility with the FDA and get a registration

number. Afterwards, importers of seafood must file the Prior Notice with the FDA before

a shipment arrives in the US. Below is an overview of standards that will apply to UK

food imports. More detailed information on FDA regulations and registration can be found

on the agency’s website.

Food Quality

Hazard Analysis Critical

Control Point (HACCP)

System

The FDA authority of the US requires all sea food and

related products that are being introduced in the US

market for edible purposes to implement a Hazard

Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system for

identification of significant food safety hazards and to

maintain control measures for elimination, prevention and

minimization of any plausible damage to public health.

The responsibility of ensuring the compliance with the

HACCP as well as with the sanitation standard operating

procedures in the traded sea food commodity lies with the

party initiating the market entry i.e. the importer is

responsible for ensuring compliances associated with all

the imported sea food products. These measures include

foreign facility and importer inspections, seafood

sampling, and domestic surveillance of imported products.

Bioterrorism Act The Bioterrorism Act or the Public Health Security and

Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002

became effective on 12th December 2003. This act

mandates all the handlers, manufacturers, processors and

packagers of sea food and related products in the US to be

registered with FDA without which the right to entry in the

US territory stands cancelled. The act also requires a

prior notification to FDA about all the food products that

are to be imported into the US territory. This ensures the

track record of flow of edible goods into the country.

Food Safety Modernization The Food Safety Modernization Act requires importers to

20

Act prove that their foreign suppliers have controls in place to

ensure food safety; the certification can also be acquired

from qualified third parties. Further, the FDA can deny

entry of product into the US if they are denied access to

the manufacturing facility.

Packaging and Labelling

Low Acid Canned Food and

Acidified Food Regulations

Low Acid Canned Food (LACF) compliance is based on the

HACCP compliance put in by FDA, which requires all the

processors of thermally processed low acid packaged

foods in hermetically sealed containers or of acidified

foods (AF) to register each processing plant. The products

could only be imported and distributed in the US territory

after submission and approval of the production process

forms by the FDA.

Country of Origin Labelling

(COOL) Requirements

This law requires retailers to label all unprocessed, fresh

and frozen seafood products. Labels must declare country

of origin and method of production, i.e., ‘wild’ versus

‘farm-raised.’ Processed seafood, that is any that has been

cooked, cured, or canned, and seafood that has been

combined with other foods are exempt from this

requirement. Specialty seafood stores and restaurants are

also exempt.

Customs and Border Protection Requirements

The US Customs and Border Protection’s responsibilities include assessing and collecting

duties, taxes and fees on imported merchandise, as well as providing documentation to

the FDA for required testing.

The CBP advises consulting an import specialist at the desired port of entry to ensure

that all regulations are being met. Importers also have the option to hire a Customs

Brokers to file entry with CBP; this allows an expert to handle the complex details of

importing food items. Lists of Customs Brokers can be found on each state’s port page.

Species Protection

Shrimp Exporters/Importers

Declaration

The trade requirements for importing shrimps into the US

requires all importers to have a DS 2031 form from the

exporter testifying that the shrimp boats took necessary

precautions to avoid harming sea turtles. This form is to

be retained by the importer for three years after entry and

must be made available to the CBP or the State

Department upon request.

21

US Fish and Wildlife Service Requirements

The US Fish and Wildlife Service regulates the import and export of living or dead wild

shellfish and fish products. Non-living shellfish and finfish intended for human

consumption are exempt from Service Import requirements as long as they are not

considered injurious or endangered species. A comprehensive document can be found

here.

Food and Drug Administration Import Procedure

Below is an outline of the import procedure from the FDA website which highlights the

relationship between the FDA and US Customs during the process. All fisheries would

need to register their food facility before exporting product to the US. The following

steps occur after you have a FDA number.

Step 1: Importer or agent need to file entry documents with US Customs Service within

five working days of the date of arrival of a shipment at a port of entry.

Step 2: FDA is notified of an entry or a regulated food through:

Duplicate copies of Customs Entry Documents (CF 3461, CF 3461 ALT, CF 7501 or

alternative);

Copy of commercial invoice; and

Surety to cover potential duties, taxes and penalties.

Step 3: FDA reviews the entry documents received from Customs for all seafood entries.

The Agency then decides whether to release, visually examine, or sample a given

shipment.

Step 4A: If a decision is made not to collect a sample the FDA sends a ‘May Proceed

Notice’ to US Customs and the importer of record. The shipment is released as far as

FDA is concerned.

Step 4B: A decision to collect a sample based on:

Nature of the product;

FDA priorities; and

Past history of the commodity

FDA sends a ‘Notice of Sampling’ to US Customs and the importer of record. The

shipment must be held intact pending further notice. A sample is collected from the

shipment. The importer of record may move the shipment from the airport to another

port or warehouse.

Step 5: If FDA obtains a physical sample it is sent to an FDA district laboratory for

analysis.

Step 6A: If analysis finds the sample in compliance with requirements the FDA sends a

‘Release Notice’ to US Customs and the importer of record.

22

Step 6B. If analysis determines that the sample ‘appears to be in violation of the Food,

Drug and Cosmetic Act and other Acts’ the FDA sends US Customs and the importer a

record of Notice of Detention and Hearing which

Specifies the nature of violation(s); and

Gives the importer of record 10 working days to introduce testimony as to the

admissibility of the shipment. The hearing is the importer’s only opportunity to

present a defence of the importation and/or present evidence as to how the shipment

may be made eligible for entry. The importer has the choice of reconditioning the

product (i.e. bringing the article into compliance, if this can be done), destroying it or

re-exporting it.

Step 7: If FDA approves the importers proposed reconditioning procedure, the

reconditioning may then proceed under FDA supervision.

Step 8: If the reconditioning is successful, FDA may release the goods; if not, the goods

must be re-exported or destroyed, under US Customs supervision.

23

IX. USEFUL LINKS

Associations

National Marine Fisheries

Services

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service is the federal

agency in the US which is responsible for the

management, conservation and protection of living

marine resources within the US Exclusive Economic

Zone. It is a division of the Department of Commerce.

National Fisheries Institute It is an organisation which stands for the advocacy of the

seafood industry in the US. Its horizon of operations

spans across each element of the seafood supply chain in

the country, and the organisation’s directory is available

for public view online. The National Fishers Institute has

several councils representing major seafood markets,

including shrimp, salmon, and tuna.

SeaShare SeaShare is a non-profit agency which was formed with

the aim of linking the North Pacific seafood industry to

food banks across the country in an effort to provide

high quality seafood protein to needy people in the US

National Restaurant

Association

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) is the largest

foodservice trade association in the world by

membership and supports over 500,000 restaurant

businesses.

National Grocers Association The National Grocers Association (NGA) is the national

trade association representing the retail and wholesale

grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food

distribution industry. NGA hosts an annual conference

with over 300 exhibitors.

Seafood Products Association The Seafood Products Association provides resources on

regulatory compliance, and conformance with customer

requirements related to food safety, quality, and legality.

Seafood Nutrition Partnership The Seafood Nutrition Partnership is a non-profit that

advocates for the health benefits of seafood

consumption.

Seafood Industry Research

Fund

The Seafood Industry Research Fund is a non-profit fund

for seafood-related research grants. All research reports

are available on its website.

FishChoice FishChoice is a sustainable seafood directory of

approximately over 450 suppliers, used by over 3,500

seafood professionals.

Publications

Seafood Source Seafood Source is the leading industry resource that has

24

replaced print magazine Seafood Business. Seafood

Source provides content on a daily basis, as well as a

supplier directory and market reports.

Fishermen's News Fishermen’s News is one of the oldest commercial fishing

publications on the Pacific Coast of the US It is

considered to be one of the independently owned

commercial fishing publications in the market.

Fish Farming News

Fish Farming News is a national business newspaper

providing coverage on the US aquaculture industry. The

publication has over 7,500 readers in the industry.

Commercial Fisheries News

Commercial Fisheries News is the Northeast’s commercial

fishing industry monthly newspaper. CFN covers

waterfront and legal news. Regular features include

market reports, a safety column, new boats, the

enforcement report, and a classifieds section.

Nation's Restaurant News Nation’s Restaurant News provides industry reports,

trend information, and news coverage for the food

service industry.

Progressive Grocer Progressive Grocer is a monthly print and digital

publication covering industry news, trends, data, and

rankings.

Supermarket News Supermarket News is a nationally circulated trade

magazine for the food distribution industry. Their website

features real-time news and a free daily e-newsletter

service.

Trade Shows

Aquaculture America Exposition

It is an annual food & beverage trade show and event

which is organized by The World Aquaculture Society

and features aquaculture industry in US

Seafood Expo/ Seafood

Processing America

This is the largest seafood related exposition, bringing

together more than 20,000 buyers, suppliers, and

other seafood industry professionals from over 100

countries.

Global Seafood Market

Conference

The conference focuses on developments in the

international seafood market and is segregated by

individual market levels based on price point.

25

X. CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Dickerson & Niall Gordon

UKTI USA

Email: lauren.dickerson@mobile.ukti.gov.uk niall.gordon@mobile.ukti.gov.uk

Julia Orlov

Project Manager, Altios International for UKTI

Email: ukti@altios.us

If you are exploring the US market, have you considered Mexico or Canada? Mexico is a

member of NAFTA and on the doorstep of the United States. If you would like to know

more about the market for your product in these countries, you can commission a similar

report to this one by contacting your local International Trade Team through the UKTI web site: www.ukti.gov.uk