Confiscating Food in the North Pacific

[roundtopdr]

In preparation for a voyage from the Philippines to Honolulu, Hawaii, I see that many of our stops (ie. Palau, Micronesia) say they will confiscate fresh food. What are people's experiences with this?

[daddle]

They certainly will confiscate fresh food in Palau. And you pay to have it incinerated. But they left my block of cheese. I'd eaten thru all the other fresh food.

[bangkaboat]

roundtopdr,
Welcome to CF!
Perhaps you could report back to us regarding post-tsunami debris along your route, when possible?

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum

[sww914]

I've even had fruits confiscated between Arizona and California before. It was a long time ago, but still.
Most countries want to protect their agriculture from pests so they don't allow un-inspected produce to enter. I used to know a lot of the inspectors in Honolulu and from what I saw they didn't do much at all (island time, brah) but laws are laws.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, roundtopdr.

[roundtopdr]

Does "fresh food" include frozen meat, frozen lasagne, that sort of thing? Am I stuck with only taking canned and packed food?

[Me-and-Boo]

Originally Posted by roundtopdr

Does "fresh food" include frozen meat, frozen lasagne, that sort of thing? Am I stuck with only taking canned and packed food?

Expect any non-processed meat and dairy products to go. Even a lot of processed will not make it in if it comes from a "mad cow" country/area.
And when you show up in Hawaii expect the same thing. CBP is working harder every day and the results are impressive.
You might find a manual called something like the agriculture clearance manual interesting.

Federal Regulations
From a previous post:
Title 7CFR contains the following parts:
◆ Part 319 for specific quarantine actions
◆ Part 330 for inspecting means of conveyance, taking emergency
action on khapra beetle, regulating garbage, soil, plant pests,
and requiring advance notice of arrival for carriers
◆ Part 351 for regulating plants and plant products in mail
�Ÿ Part 352 for safeguarding items not intended for entry into the
United States (aircraft and vessel stores, and cargo for immediate
export)
�Ÿ Part 360 for regulating noxious weeds

Title 9CFR contains the following parts:
◆ Part 93 for regulating live animals
◆ Part 94 for regulating garbage, milk and milk products, and meat
◆ Part 95 for regulating animal by-products
◆ Part 96 for regulating casings
Title 50CFR for regulating endangered

I lead a very boring life.

[daddle]

Originally Posted by roundtopdr

Does "fresh food" include frozen meat, frozen lasagne, that sort of thing? Am I stuck with only taking canned and packed food?

Yes and yes. They can take it if they want to. Frozen meat is probably confiscated. But good fresh US meat is readily available in Palau at Payless Market. Because of this I make crossings with just enough fresh food to get me there.

BTW - Cruisers have a history of irritating the authorities in Micronesia. That elite attitude that rules are for others. So much so that the Palauans have considered running our whole lot out. It's just not worth the pain. It's taken considerable effort by some hard working people to keep us in there.

[Me-and-Boo]

Originally Posted by daddle

Yes and yes. They can take it if they want to. Frozen meat is probably confiscated. But good fresh US meat is readily available in Palau at Payless Market. Because of this I make crossings with just enough fresh food to get me there.

BTW - Cruisers have a history of irritating the authorities in Micronesia. That elite attitude that rules are for others. So much so that the Palauans have considered running our whole lot out. It's just not worth the pain. It's taken considerable effort by some hard working people to keep us in there.

Good Point - Sailing in U.S. territories can save the hassles of losing everything to the CBP.

[daddle]

Not many US Territories remain in the Western Pacific. I think Guam and the Marianas are it, interestingly. But the US is where the money and goods come from.

[Me-and-Boo]

Originally Posted by daddle

Not many US Territories remain in the Western Pacific. I think Guam and the Marianas are it, interestingly. But the US is where the money and goods come from.

I forgot to add that there are a few quarantines between the islands, Hawaii and the mainland. Pacific territories are Commonwealth of the Northern Mariannas and Guam. Atlantic is Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

[roundtopdr]

Originally Posted by daddle

Yes and yes. They can take it if they want to. Frozen meat is probably confiscated. But good fresh US meat is readily available in Palau at Payless Market. Because of this I make crossings with just enough fresh food to get me there.

BTW - Cruisers have a history of irritating the authorities in Micronesia. That elite attitude that rules are for others. So much so that the Palauans have considered running our whole lot out. It's just not worth the pain. It's taken considerable effort by some hard working people to keep us in there.

I appreciate your thoughts regarding the authorities. My goal is to understand and follow the local rules, not to thwart them. I don't want to spend the money to load up with groceries in the Philippines, only to have them confiscated further down the line.

[Astrid]

Not many US Territories remain in the Western Pacific. I think Guam and the Marianas are it, interestingly.

Isn't American Samoa still an unincorporated US territory?

[Me-and-Boo]

Originally Posted by Astrid

Isn't American Samoa still an unincorporated US territory?

Yes it is. Love to go there some year.