The United States has cleared Sri Lanka to resume blue swimming crab exports until December 31, 2029 after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) determined the island’s harvesting practices are “comparable in effectiveness” to American standards under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic Resources and Ocean Resources announced on Monday.
NOAA, an agency of the US Department of Commerce, granted Sri Lanka the mandatory Comparability Finding certificate required for fishery imports into the American market, the ministry said in a statement. The clearance removes a barrier that had been in place since a November 2025 US court ruling temporarily affected exports after a lawsuit alleged NOAA had violated administrative procedures in denying comparability findings for 240 fisheries across 46 countries.
EconomyNext reported that the October 2025 ban followed the same legal challenge, which had bundled Sri Lanka’s blue swimming crabs with denials issued to fisheries in dozens of other jurisdictions.
NOAA “reviewed its decision and granted approval based on scientific data and facts presented by the Department of Fisheries, the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), and other relevant sectors,” the ministry said.
The approval recognises Sri Lanka’s harvesting methods as ensuring marine mammals such as dolphins and whales are not harmed during the catch. The findings, valid for nearly four years, allow uninterrupted blue swimming crab shipments to the US market during that window.
The clearance lands as Sri Lanka navigates broader US trade pressure, including the 44 percent Trump tariff regime that has unsettled apparel and seafood exporters, and complements separate seafood-sector wins as the country looks to diversify high-margin export streams.
Sources: Newswire | EconomyNext.
