US grants Pakistan four-year extension for seafood exports

Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Saturday said that Pakistan has received approval to continue exporting fish and seafood products to the United States for another four years.

"The US nod reflects international recognition of the quality of Pakistan’s seafood and will provide long-term stability to the sector," the minister said in a statement.

The extension is expected to bolster our position in the global seafood market, securing access to one of the world's largest seafood importers, he added.

Last month, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said that Pakistan’s seafood exports rose to $465 million in FY25, 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. With this international endorsement of compliance, the price is projected to rise, potentially opening new markets in Europe and the Gulf.

In FY 2024–25, Pakistan exported 242,484 metric tonnes of fish and related products worth $489.2 million at an average of $2 per kilogramme. The same export volume next year could generate nearly $600 million.

In today's statement, Minister Anwar Chaudhry explained that the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has classified all Pakistani fisheries listed on its List of Foreign Fisheries (LOFF) as “comparable” under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

“This classification confirms that Pakistan’s fisheries meet US standards for protecting marine mammals from incidental mortality and serious injury during fishing operations,” he said.

The MMPA requires fisheries to minimise marine mammal bycatch, adopt conservation practices, and operate sustainably measures that also support healthier marine ecosystems.

Minister Chaudhry highlighted that Pakistan’s successful submission of a comprehensive compliance dossier to NOAA under the MMPA was a critical milestone.

This acceptance validates Pakistan's ongoing efforts to regulate its commercial fisheries, uphold sustainable fishing practices, and align with international environmental standards.

He emphasised that this approval is vital to safeguard Pakistan’s multi-million-dollar seafood exports to the US market while simultaneously enhancing the country’s reputation for responsible and sustainable fisheries management worldwide.

However, he also stressed the importance of continuously strengthening protective measures for marine mammal populations, as recommended by NOAA, to ensure the long-term health of marine biodiversity.