2301.20.00.10 - Herring meal; pilchard meal

This HTS category, specifically HTS code 2301.20.00.10, encompasses specific types of meals derived from fish: herring meal and pilchard meal. These are byproducts of the fish processing industry, rendered unfit for human consumption and primarily utilized as animal feed ingredients or for other industrial purposes. The classification focuses on the origin of the raw material and the resulting processed product, distinguishing it from other categories within Chapter 23 which deal with different types of residues and prepared feeds.

This particular sub-heading is distinguished from its sibling, 2301.20.00.90, which covers "Other" flours, meals, and pellets of fish or crustaceans. The key differentiator lies in the specificity of the raw material; 2301.20.00.10 is exclusively for meals derived from herring and pilchard. Therefore, any meal produced from other types of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, or aquatic invertebrates would fall under the "Other" category.

As this is a leaf node in the HTS classification system, there are no further subcategories. Classification at this level is determined by the accurate identification of the specific fish species from which the meal is derived. The key criterion is that the product is a meal or flour, unfit for human consumption, and originates from herring or pilchard.