U.S. extends seafood export privileges for Pakistan over a four-year period
Pakistan's Seafood Exports Receive Four-Year Extension from US
Pakistan's seafood industry has received a significant boost with the four-year extension of its approval to export fish and seafood products to the United States. This approval, granted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), recognises Pakistan's compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and its commitment to sustainable fisheries management.
The extension is expected to provide long-term stability to the seafood sector in Pakistan, bolstering its position in the global market. In the fiscal year 2025, Pakistan's seafood exports rose to $465 million, reflecting a 13.4% increase in value and an 8% growth in quantity compared to the previous year. Currently, Pakistani seafood earns about $2 per kilogramme in the global market.
The approval underscores Pakistan's ongoing efforts to regulate its commercial fisheries, uphold sustainable fishing practices, and align with international environmental standards. The MMPA requires fisheries to minimise marine mammal bycatch, adopt conservation practices, and operate sustainably. Pakistan's fisheries have been confirmed to meet these standards, as well as US standards for protecting marine mammals during fishing operations.
The NOAA's endorsement of Pakistan's fisheries as "comparable" under the MMPA is a critical milestone. It signifies that Pakistani fisheries minimise marine mammal bycatch, adopt conservation practices, and operate sustainably to protect marine mammals during fishing operations. To continue meeting these standards, Pakistan must maintain and strengthen protective measures for marine mammal populations, sustain sustainable fishing practices, and align with NOAA’s recommendations to ensure the long-term health of marine biodiversity.
This acceptance validates Pakistan's efforts to maintain a responsible and sustainable approach to fisheries management, which could open new markets in Europe and the Gulf. The extension is also expected to bolster Pakistan's reputation for responsible and sustainable fisheries management worldwide. This approval is vital to safeguard Pakistan's multi-million-dollar seafood exports to the US market.
In the fiscal year 2024-25, Pakistan exported 242,484 metric tonnes of fish and related products worth $489.2 million at an average of $2 per kilogramme. As Pakistan continues to meet international standards and strengthen its sustainable fishing practices, the potential price rise could further enhance its position in the global seafood market.
