Pakistan is likely to tap the full potential of the US seafood market as Washington has imposed high tariffs on the Chinese seafood industry.
China has lost the entire seafood market in the US following higher duties, market sources said, adding that Beijing was expected to shift its seafood market to Pakistan for exports to the US. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced on Saturday that Pakistan has received authorisation that gave extension for the export of fish and fish-related products to the United States by another four years.
In a statement, the minister said that the decision reflects international recognition of the quality of Pakistan's seafood and would create long-term stability for the sector. "The extension is expected to bolster our position in the global seafood market by securing access to one of the world's largest seafood importers," he said. The federal minister explained that the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has classified all Pakistani fisheries on its List of Foreign Fisheries 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 by-catch, adopt conservation practices and take sustainable measures that also support healthier marine ecosystems.
Currently, Pakistani seafood earns about $2 per kg in the global market. With this international endorsement of compliance, the price is likely to rise, potentially opening new markets in Europe and the Gulf. In FY25, Pakistan exported 242,484 metric tons of fish and related products worth $489.2 million at an average of $2 per kg. The same export volume next year can generate $600 million.
Junaid Anwar highlighted that Pakistan's successful submission of a comprehensive compliance dossier to NOAA 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 the approval was vital to safeguard Pakistan's multimillion-dollar seafood exports to the US market while simultaneously enhancing the country's reputation for responsible and sustainable fisheries management worldwide.
He also called for strengthening protective measures for marine mammal populations, as recommended by NOAA.
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