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Natural resources

US to Ban Seafood Imports from 42 Nations to Protect Whales and Dolphins

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The United States is set to ban seafood imports from 42 nations due to their failure to adopt bycatch prevention measures comparable to those followed by US fishers under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The ban will take effect in January 2026, aiming to reduce the number of marine mammals caught and killed in fishing gear. This move is seen as a victory for conservationists who have been pushing for stricter standards to protect whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has determined that 42 nations may not export certain seafood products to the US due to their failure to adopt bycatch prevention measures comparable to those in the MMPA.
  • The seafood bans will affect nations such as Mexico, China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey, with Mexico being one of the countries specifically cited for failing to track or limit marine mammal bycatch.
  • Bycatch is the greatest conservation threat to marine mammal populations worldwide, with over 650,000 whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals being caught and killed in fishing gear annually.
  • The US is the world's largest seafood importer, importing over $26.6 billion in seafood products in 2024 from over 140 nations.
  • An estimated 80% of seafood consumed in the US is imported, including shrimp, tuna, and other fish.
  • Conservation groups, including the Animal Welfare Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, and NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), have been actively advocating for stricter bycatch standards and have successfully petitioned and sued to compel action from the NMFS.
  • The Marine Mammal Protection Act has been in place since 1972, prohibiting the US from allowing foreign seafood to enter the country unless exporting nations meet the same standards applied to US fishers.
  • Some of the deadliest types of fishing gear used by nations without strict bycatch measures include gillnets, longlines, trawls, pots, and traps, which can result in the deaths of numerous marine mammals.

Statistics:

  • Over 650,000 whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals are caught and killed in fishing gear annually.
  • The US imported over $26.6 billion in seafood products in 2024 from over 140 nations.
  • An estimated 80% of seafood consumed in the US is imported.
  • Since 1972, the MMPA has prohibited the US from allowing foreign seafood to enter the country unless exporting nations meet the same standards applied to US fishers.
  • Over 42 nations will be affected by the seafood bans.

Sources:

  • Animal Welfare Institute, "US to Ban Seafood Imports from 42 Nations to Protect Whales and Dolphins," August 29, 2025, https://www.awionline.org/press-releases/us-ban-seafood-imports-42-nations-protect-whales-dolphins
  • Center for Biological Diversity, press release, August 29, 2025
  • NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), press release, August 29, 2025

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