U.S. Bars Seafood Imports from Over 40 Countries for Failing to Meet Whale and Dolphin Protections

The National Marine Fisheries Service has announced that certain seafood products from more than 40 countries will be barred from entering the U.S. market due to foreign fisheries failing to meet U.S. standards for protecting whales and dolphins. This decision represents the first large-scale enforcement of long-ignored provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), a law aimed at preventing the killing or serious injury of marine mammals in fishing gear. The move is a result of years of advocacy and litigation led by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which has been pushing for the federal government to implement the MMPA. This decision has significant implications, not only for the U.S. but also for the global seafood industry, as it sets a new standard for seafood production and consumption.

Key Takeaways:

• The National Marine Fisheries Service has barred seafood products from over 40 countries due to their failure to meet U.S. standards for protecting whales and dolphins.
• This decision represents the first large-scale enforcement of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) provisions that have been ignored for decades.
• The NRDC has led the advocacy and litigation efforts over the years, pushing the federal government to implement the MMPA and prevent whale and dolphin deaths.
• Globally, more than 650,000 marine mammals are killed each year in fishing gear, and this move pressures other nations to curb this deadly bycatch.
• The U.S. seafood market is a powerful tool to drive change, with over $25.5 billion in seafood imports annually, accounting for 80 percent of what Americans eat.
• The NRDC secured this decision through petitions, lawsuits, and international advocacy, delivering on the MMPA's promise to keep U.S. markets free of seafood tied to marine mammal deaths.
• Zak Smith, director of global biodiversity conservation and senior attorney at the NRDC, sees this decision as a step towards ensuring that seafood sold in the U.S. comes only from commercial fisheries that do not kill or seriously injure marine mammals.

Statistics:

• More than 650,000 marine mammals are killed each year in fishing gear globally.
• Over $25.5 billion worth of seafood is imported into the U.S. annually, accounting for 80 percent of what Americans eat.
• 40+ countries have their seafood products barred from entering the U.S. market due to failing to meet U.S. standards for protecting whales and dolphins.

Sources:

• Zak Smith, director of global biodiversity conservation and senior attorney at the NRDC.