The Bahamas currently has conditions to allow the importation of poultry and poultry products from various countries. Having conducted an import risk analysis (IRA) that considers quarantine risks that may be associated with the importation to The Bahamas of poultry and poultry products from any country, the IRA recommends that the importation of poultry and poultry products to The Bahamas could be permitted subject to compliance with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures to manage the quarantine risks of a range of significant diseases to a very low level, in line with WOAH guidelines. The IRA assessed all potential disease agents that may be introduced to The Bahamas via the importation of poultry and poultry products and SPS measures. These diseases include Avian chlamydiosis, Avian infectious bronchitis, Avian infectious laryngotracheitis, High pathogenicity avian influenza viruses, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (Avian mycoplasmosis), Duck virus hepatitis, Fowl typhoid and pullorum disease, Infectious bursal disease (Gumboro disease), Newcastle disease virus.
Based on this risk assessment The Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA) has developed conditions of import for poultry and poultry product consignments. They are outlined below. All consignments of poultry and poultry products must:
Meet the labelling requirements prescribed in Section 23 of the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA), Food Safety and Quality Act (2016) in Appendix 1
Meet the import conditions for poultry and poultry products in Appendix 2
Appendix 1
Labelling and Advertising
No person shall offer for sale in The Bahamas any package of food unless the label thereon—
is written in English;
specifies the product name;
specifies the date of manufacture and expiration;
permits the traceability of the food as prescribed in regulations; and
sets out such particulars as may be prescribed in regulations.
Where food that is not packaged is displayed for sale, it shall bear an identification mark.
The Director shall prescribe requirements for food advertising in accordance with applicable legislation.
Any foods not in compliance with the requirements under this section shall be confiscated by the Director.
Any person selling food in contravention of this section commits an offence and shall be liable to a fixed penalty as prescribed by regulations.
Appendix 2
Conditions for importation of poultry* and poultry products
If a country, zone, or compartment free from High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) according to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) wishes to export:
live poultry (other than day-old poultry), an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
the poultry showed no clinical signs of avian influenza on the day of shipment;
the poultry originated from a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza;
the poultry originated from a flock that was monitored for avian influenza viruses and was found to be negative;
the poultry showed no clinical signs suggestive of Newcastle Disease (ND) on the day of shipment;
the poultry were kept in an ND free country, zone or compartment since they were hatched or for at least the past 21 days;
the poultry are transported in new or appropriately sanitised containers.
day-old live poultry, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
the day-old live poultry had been kept in a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza since they were hatched; and
the day-old live poultry were derived from parent flocks that were monitored for avian influenza viruses and were found to be negative at the time of collection of the eggs from which the day-old poultry hatched; or
the day-old live poultry that hatched from eggs that had had their surfaces sanitised in accordance with point 4(d) of Article 6.5.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
the poultry were hatched and kept in an ND free country, zone or compartment since they were hatched;
the poultry were derived from parent flocks which had been kept in an ND free country, zone or compartment for at least 21 days prior to and at the time of the collection of the eggs
the day-old live poultry were transported in new or appropriately sanitised containers
hatching eggs of poultry an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
the hatching eggs came from a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza;
the hatching eggs:
were derived from parent flocks that were monitored for avian influenza viruses and were found to be negative at the time of collection of the hatching eggs; or
have had their surfaces sanitised in accordance with point 4(d) of Article 6.5.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
the eggs came from an ND free country, zone or compartment;
the eggs were derived from parent flocks which had been kept in an ND free country, zone or compartment for at least 21 days prior to and at the time of the collection of the eggs;
the hatching eggs are transported in new or appropriately sanitised packaging materials and containers.
Poultry semen an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the donor poultry:
showed no clinical signs of avian influenza on the day of semen collection;
were kept in a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza;
showed no clinical signs suggestive of ND on the day of semen collection;
were kept in an ND free country, zone or compartment for at least 21 days prior to and at the time of semen collection.
Eggs for human consumption an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
the eggs for human consumption were produced and packed in a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza;
the eggs were produced and packed in an ND free country, zone or compartment;
the eggs for human consumption were transported in new or appropriately sanitised packaging materials and containers.
egg products of poultry, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
the commodity is derived from eggs which meet the requirements of Article 10.9.10. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code; or
the commodity has been processed to ensure the destruction of NDV in accordance with Article 10.9.20. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code; and
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the egg products with any source of NDV.
fresh meat of poultry consumption an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the entire consignment of fresh meat comes from poultry:
which originated from a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza;
which were slaughtered in an approved slaughterhouse/abattoir in a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza and were subjected to ante- and post-mortem inspections in accordance with Chapter 6.3. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, with favourable results;
which have been kept in an ND free country, zone or compartment since they were hatched or for at least the past 21 days;
which have been slaughtered in an approved abattoir in an ND free country, zone or compartment and have been subjected to ante- and post-mortem inspections and have been found free of any signs suggestive of ND.
meat products from poultry, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
the meat products from poultry are derived from fresh meat which meets the requirements of Article 10.4.17. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code; or
the meat products from poultry have been processed to ensure the inactivation of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses in accordance with Article 10.4.24. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the meat products from poultry with any source of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses;
the commodity is derived from fresh meat which meet the requirements of Article 10.9.14.; or
the commodity has been processed to ensure the destruction of NDV in accordance with Article 10.9.21.; and
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the commodity with any source of NDV.
poultry products not listed in Article 10.4.2. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code and intended for use in animal feeding, or for agricultural or industrial use, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
these commodities were obtained from poultry which originated in a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza and that the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contamination during processing with any source of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses; or
these commodities have been processed to ensure the inactivation of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses using:
moist heat treatment for 30 minutes at 56°C; or
heat treatment where the internal temperature throughout the product reached at least 74°C; or
any equivalent treatment that has been demonstrated to inactivate avian influenza viruses;
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the commodity with any source of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses.
feathers and down from poultry not listed in Article 10.4.2. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal that: Health Code, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
these commodities originated from poultry as described in Article 10.4.17. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code and were processed in a country, zone or compartment free from high pathogenicity avian influenza; or
these commodities have been processed to ensure the inactivation of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses using one of the following:
fumigation with formalin (10% formaldehyde) for 8 hours;
irradiation with a dose of 20 kGy;
any equivalent treatment which has been demonstrated to inactivate avian influenza viruses;
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the commodity with any source of high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses.
these commodities originated from poultry as described in Article 10.9.14. and were processed in a ND free country, zone or compartment; or
these commodities have been processed to ensure the destruction of NDV using one of the following:
washed and steam-dried at 100oC for 30 minutes;
fumigation with formalin (10% formaldehyde) for 8 hours;
irradiation with a dose of 20 kilogray;
any equivalent treatment which has been demonstrated to inactivate NDV; and
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the commodity with any source of NDV.
If the poultry or parent flocks of the hatching eggs have been vaccinated against avian influenza viruses, the nature of the vaccine used and the date of vaccination should be stated in the international veterinary certificate.
If infection with high pathogenicity avian influenza virus has occurred in poultry in a previously free country or zone, the free status may be regained after a minimum period of 28 days (i.e. two flock-level incubation periods) after a stamping-out policy has been completed (i.e. after the disinfection of the last affected establishment), provided that surveillance in accordance with Articles 10.4.26. to 10.4.30. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, in particular point 3 of Article 10.4.28. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, has been carried out during that period and has demonstrated the absence of infection. If a stamping-out policy is not implemented, Article 10.4.3. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code applies.
If a country, zone, or compartment wishes to export:
chickens, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the birds:
showed no clinical signs of avian infectious bronchitis on the day of shipment;
come from establishments which are recognised as being free from avian infectious bronchitis, based on the results of serological tests;
have not been vaccinated against avian infectious bronchitis;
showed no clinical signs of avian infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) on the day of shipment;
come from establishments which are recognised as being free from ILT, based on the results of serological tests;
have not been vaccinated against ILT;
showed no clinical signs of avian mycoplasmosis on the day of shipment; and
come from an establishment free from avian mycoplasmosis; or
were kept in a quarantine station for the 28 days prior to shipment and were subjected to a serological test and an agent identification test for avian mycoplasmosis with negative results, at the beginning and at the end of the 28-day period.
Day-old birds, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the day-old birds:
come from establishments which are regularly inspected by the Veterinary Authority and from hatcheries which comply with the standards referred to in Chapter 6.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
have not been vaccinated against avian infectious bronchitis; or
were vaccinated against avian infectious bronchitis (the nature of the vaccine used and the date of vaccination shall also be stated in the certificate);
are the progeny of parent flocks which: come from establishments and/or hatcheries which are recognised as being free from avian infectious bronchitis, based on the results of serological tests;
come from establishments in which vaccination against avian infectious bronchitis is not practised on the parent stock;
have not been vaccinated against ILT;
are the progeny of parent flocks which:
come from establishments and/or hatcheries which are recognised as being free from ILT, based on the results of serological tests;
come from establishments in which vaccination against ILT is not practised on the parent stock;
come from establishments free from avian mycoplasmosis;
were shipped in clean and unused packages.
hatching eggs of chickens, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the hatching eggs:
have been disinfected in accordance with the standards referred to in Chapter 6.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
come from establishments and/or hatcheries which are recognised as being free from avian infectious bronchitis and from hatcheries which comply with the standards referred to in Chapter 6.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
come from establishments and/or hatcheries which are recognised as being free from ILT;
come from establishments free from avian mycoplasmosis;
were shipped in clean and unused packages.
If a country, zone, or compartment free from Newcastle disease virus (NDV) according to WOAH wishes to export:
products of poultry origin, other than feather meal and poultry meal, intended for use in animal feeding, or for agricultural or industrial use, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
these commodities were processed in a ND free country, zone or compartment from poultry which were kept in a ND free country, zone or compartment from the time they were hatched until the time of slaughter or for at least the 21 days preceding slaughter; or
these commodities have been processed to ensure the destruction of NDV using:
moist heat treatment for 30 minutes at 56°C; or
any equivalent treatment which has been demonstrated to inactivate NDV; and
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the commodity with any source of NDV.
feather meal and poultry meal an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
these commodities were processed in a ND free country, zone or compartment from poultry which were kept in a ND free country, zone or compartment from the time they were hatched until the time of slaughter or for at least the 21 days preceding slaughter; or
these commodities have been processed either:
with moist heat at a minimum temperature of 118oC for minimum of 40 minutes; or
with a continuous hydrolysing process under at least 3.79 bar of pressure with steam at a minimum temperature of 122oC for a minimum of 15 minutes; or
with an alternative rendering process that ensures that the internal temperature throughout the product reaches at least 74oC for a minimum of 280 seconds; and
the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contact of the commodity with any source of ND virus.
If a country, zone, or compartment wishes to export:
ducks, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the birds:
showed no clinical signs of Duck Hepatitis Virus (DVH) on the day of shipment;
come from establishments which are recognised as being free from DVH;
have not been vaccinated against DVH;
day-old ducks, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the day-old birds:
come from establishments and/or hatcheries which are regularly inspected by the Veterinary Authority and from hatcheries which comply with the standards referred to in Chapter 6.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
have not been vaccinated against DVH;
are the progeny of parent flocks which:
come from establishments and/or hatcheries which are recognised as being free from DVH;
come from establishments and/or hatcheries in which vaccination against DVH is not practised on the parent stock; or
come from establishments and/or hatcheries in which vaccination against DVH is practised on the parent stock;
were shipped in clean and unused packages.
Hatching eggs of ducks, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that the day-old birds:
have been disinfected in accordance with the standards referred to in Chapter 6.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
come from establishments and/or hatcheries which are recognised as being free from DVH and from hatcheries which comply with the standards referred to in Chapter 6.5. of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code;
were shipped in clean and unused packages.
All poultry consignments must have a valid import permit with Conditions for Import as an Annex from The Bahamas. Supporting documentation that must accompany the application request is the submission of the Sanitary Certificate from the source in the Country of Origin and Quotation for the product(s).
International Veterinary Export (Health) Certificate from exporting country’s competent authority- import permit number must be reflected on the front page of the commercial documents, preferably the invoice accompanying the shipment and the veterinary certificate. This action will also communicate a specific focal point Agency/Unit through which all exports will be certified as having met all import and export requirements
All imports of poultry and poultry products regardless of status must not exceed 1 year from the date of slaughter. The following information must be included in the “remarks” section of the veterinary certificate:
Date of slaughter
Name and ID number of slaughter facility
Attestation that the consignment originated and was processed in an establishment certified by the authority and approved by BAHFSA in the country of export
That the consignment originated in the country listed as the exporting country and that no third country was involved.
That the consignment originated from farms that were not under quarantine and any located within 10 miles from any affected farms or populations. This is not required for cooked meat.
For all imports of poultry and poultry products regardless of status, an international veterinary certificate is required and must attest that:
an appropriate surveillance is in place to demonstrate the presence of infection in the absence of clinical signs in poultry, and the risk posed by birds other than poultry; this may be achieved through an avian influenza surveillance programme in accordance with Articles 10.4.27. to 10.4.33 of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
the meat has not been treated with chemical preservatives or other substances injurious to health.
the poultry meat and poultry meat products have been obtained and slaughtered in processing plants of an approved establishment which is under the supervision of the competent veterinary services in the country of export.
the meat is recognized as fit for human consumption.
Chilled poultry meat:
must be exported no more than 14 days after slaughter.
must not be derived from thawed frozen poultry.
Must be sealed with leak-proof packaging and has a shelf life of at least 10 days at ≤ 4 °C, from the date of packing.
Retort-processed meat products (e.g., canned meat) must be heat treated (undergoing a sterilising process with a minimum sterilising value of Fo=3) to commercial sterility in hermetically sealed containers and are shelf stable at ambient temperatures.
Frozen poultry meat must be exported no more than six months after slaughter.
In the event of a notifiable poultry disease outbreak in the country of origin, the permit will immediately become invalid.
*Note that "Poultry" means live animals of the following species: fowl, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, ratites (ostriches, emus, rheas, etc.), including backyard poultry, used for the production of meat or eggs for consumption, for the production of other commercial products, for restocking supplies of game, or for breeding these categories of birds, as well as fighting cocks used for any purpose
