ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has secured authorization to continue seafood exports to the United States for another four years, its maritime affairs minister said on Saturday, a decision expected to protect a key foreign exchange stream and bolster the country’s standing in the global seafood market.
The approval, granted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), classified Pakistani fisheries as “comparable” under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Officials said the recognition signals international acceptance of
Pakistan’s compliance with sustainability standards and comes as the country seeks to expand exports to the US, Europe and the Gulf.
“This classification confirms that Pakistan’s fisheries meet US standards for protecting marine mammals from incidental mortality and serious injury during fishing operations,” Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said in a statement.
The MMPA requires fisheries exporting to the US to minimize marine mammal bycatch, adopt conservation practices and operate sustainably, measures that also support healthier marine ecosystems.
