Outlook Business Desk
The US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has confirmed that India’s seafood meets American standards for protecting marine mammals, reported Mint. This means India can continue exporting seafood without disruption.
While India received approval, competing seafood exporters China, Mexico, and Ecuador were denied certification by the US, restricting certain fisheries from shipping to America after 31 December 2025. This gives India a competitive advantage in the US seafood market over rival nations.
The US Marine Mammal Protection Act enforces strict rules to protect dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals during fishing. Countries exporting seafood to the US must ensure their fishing methods don’t cause more harm to these animals than allowed under American standards.
India exported $7.39 billion worth of seafood in FY25, with $2.68 billion going to the US. Shrimp, India’s largest export, faces competition from Ecuador, Vietnam, and Indonesia due to a steep 50% US import tariff, but NMFS approval strengthens India’s sustainable seafood credentials
Despite NMFS approval, the high US tariff on Indian goods (including shrimp) continues to limit competitiveness. Industry leaders note that while certification removes a key non-tariff barrier, Indian exporters still face challenges in price-sensitive segments of the American seafood market.
Officials said the Indian government supported the ‘Marine Mammal Stock Assessments in India’ project with ₹13.28 crore under the Central Sector Scheme to meet US marine mammal standards. They added that the initiative monitors sustainable fishing practices and reduces unintended bycatch of marine mammals.
Official added that the NMFS evaluates exporting countries under the Marine Mammal Protection Act for comparability, checking if fisheries regulations effectively limit incidental capture of marine mammals. India’s fisheries were earlier rated ‘high risk,’ but reforms and monitoring measures have now earned positive US certification.
A second official said NOAA Fisheries published its Marine Mammal Protection Act comparability findings in the Federal Register, reviewing about 2,500 fisheries from 135 countries. Around 240 fisheries from 46 nations were denied, limiting US exports, according to the NOAA Fisheries website, cited by Mint.
After extensive reviews and discussions, NMFS has granted India a comparability finding under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This confirms that Indian fisheries meet US standards, allowing seafood exports to continue beyond the 31 December 2025 deadline without interruption.