0306.16.00.03 - Count size (headless weight) less than 33 per kg (15s)

This HTS category, 0306.16.00.03, specifically classifies frozen cold-water shrimps and prawns of the Pandalus spp. and Crangon crangon species. The defining characteristic for this subcategory is their count size, measured by headless weight, which is less than 33 pieces per kilogram. This metric, often referred to as "15s" or smaller in industry parlance, indicates a larger individual shrimp or prawn. These are shell-on crustaceans, imported under specific statistical note provisions for this chapter.

The distinction between this category and its siblings lies solely in the "count size" or the number of individual headless shrimp and prawns per kilogram. For instance, 0306.16.00.06 covers shrimp and prawns with a count size of 33-45 per kilogram. As the count size per kilogram increases (meaning smaller individual shrimp), the HTS code progresses through subsequent sibling categories, each representing a tighter range of piece count.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS, there are no further subcategories for this specific classification. Therefore, the classification concludes at this level based on the species of cold-water shrimp or prawn, their frozen state, shell-on presentation, and the precise count size of less than 33 headless pieces per kilogram. Importers must accurately determine this count to ensure correct classification and avoid discrepancies.