## Common ground
All options refer to products derived from whales, dolphins, porpoises, and other marine mammals, categorized by processing method.
## Options at a glance
**0208.40 – Fresh or frozen meat**
- **Defining trait:** The product is unprocessed and stored at low temperatures without salting, drying, or smoking.
- **Typical examples:** Fresh whale steak, frozen whale fillets.
- **Best fit when:** The product is sold in its natural state, directly after slaughter, for immediate cooking or freezing.
**0210.92 – Salted, brined, dried, or smoked meat**
- **Defining trait:** The meat has undergone preservation using salt, brine, drying, or smoking.
- **Typical examples:** Smoked whale jerky, salted whale belly, dried whale strips.
- **Best fit when:** The product is intended for long-term storage or traditional consumption in preserved form.
**1602.90 – Prepared or preserved meat**
- **Defining trait:** The meat has been cooked, canned, or otherwise processed into ready-to-eat or semi-prepared forms.
- **Typical examples:** Canned whale stew, pre-cooked whale sausages, marinated whale slices.
- **Best fit when:** The product is ready for immediate consumption without further cooking.
## Key differences
| Option | Processing Method | Shelf Life | Ready to Eat? |
|--------|--------------------------|----------------|----------------|
| 0208.40 | Fresh/chilled/frozen | Short | No |
| 0210.92 | Salted/brined/dried/smoked | Medium–Long | Sometimes |
| 1602.90 | Cooked, canned, or processed | Long | Yes |
## How to choose
- Is the meat raw and stored frozen or chilled? → 0208.40
- Has it been salted, dried, smoked, or preserved in brine? → 0210.92
- Is it cooked, canned, or ready to eat without further preparation? → 1602.90
## Overlaps & pitfalls
A product may fall into multiple categories if it is both smoked and canned (e.g., smoked canned whale). In such cases, prioritize the **main processing method**—if cooking or canning is the primary step, use 1602.90; if smoking is dominant, use 0210.92. The key is identifying the **defining preparation method**