Seafood Import Prohibitions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions

The MMPA Import Provisions implement aspects of the Marine Mammal Protection Act that aim to reduce marine mammal bycatch associated with international commercial fishing operations, by requiring nations exporting fish and fish products to the United States to be held to the same standards as U.S. commercial fishing operations. 

NOAA Fisheries oversees several seafood trade programs to ensure seafood is caught and imported legally into the United States. While import prohibitions can be imposed under the MMPA Import Provisions, it is important to note that this program does not supersede any other relevant NOAA Fisheries trade programs. Full compliance with any applicable trade programs is also necessary to continue exporting to the United States. NOAA Fisheries cooperates with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to inform seafood exporters and importers of any seafood import restrictions implemented under NOAA Fisheries’ authority, and to provide compliance support for the trade community.  For more information, including compliance with NOAA Fisheries trade programs, see: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/seafood-commerce-and-trade/international-trade

2025 Comparability Finding Determinations for Harvesting Nations

On August 29, 2025, NOAA Fisheries announced in the Federal Register its 2025 comparability finding determinations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions. 

Nations denied comparability findings for all of their fisheries:
Benin*, Grenada, Guinea, Haiti*, Iran*, Namibia, New Caledonia, Russia, Saint Lucia, The Gambia, Togo, Venezuela*
*Nations that did not submit an application for a comparability finding

Nations denied comparability findings for a subset of their fisheries: 
Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Taiwan, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam

Fish and fish products from fisheries denied a comparability finding will be prohibited from import into the United States beginning January 1, 2026. NOAA Fisheries worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to develop lists of Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Codes that flag products potentially sourced from fisheries denied a comparability finding. These products will then be subject to Certificate of Admissibility requirements. These lists also include the prohibited fisheries for each nation, which are defined by the specifically prohibited HTS Codes, FAO 3-Alpha Codes, and Gear Types associated with the denied fishery. These lists are subject to change as HTS codes or species names change, or in light of other updated trade information. Nations denied comparability findings for a subset of their fisheries are required to implement Certifications of Admissibility as appropriate to attest that fish and fish product offered for entry into the United States are not subject to import prohibitions (see Certification of Admissibility section below).

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