The United States is the world’s largest importer of seafood, bringing in more than $25 billion worth of products each year from over 130 countries. Yet for decades, the U.S. has failed to fully enforce its own Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) — which requires that seafood imported into this country be caught using methods that minimize harm to whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals.
Each year, an estimated 650,000 marine mammals including whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions die after becoming entangled in the nets, lines, and hooks of foreign fishing fleets. Recently, NOAA determined that 240 foreign fisheries do not comply with U.S. marine mammal standards under the MMPA, finding that these nations lack sufficient protections for marine mammals. This is a major step forward — but it’s been a long time coming.
A Two-Decade Fight for Accountability
The journey began back in 2008, when Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition to ban swordfish imports from countries that failed to prove their fishing methods did not harm marine mammals. The petition was largely ignored by the U.S. Commerce Department under President George W. Bush. In 2014, Turtle Island, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Oceana sued the U.S. government for failing to act (read more here). That lawsuit resulted in a court-approved settlement requiring the government to finally begin enforcing the law (read more here).
Fast forward to 2024, when another lawsuit pushed the issue over the finish line — leading to a final agreement requiring the U.S. to ban seafood imports from nations that do not adopt equivalent protections for marine mammals by January 1, 2026 (read more in the press release here).
Will the Law Finally Be Enforced?
Under the MMPA, foreign nations must meet the same standards as U.S. fisheries — which already use techniques like modified fishing gear, acoustic “pingers,” and time-area closures to reduce whale and dolphin entanglements. After nearly 20 years of advocacy, it seemed victory for marine mammals was finally within reach.
The Industry Pushback
But now, the seafood industry is fighting back, filing a lawsuit to block the new rules. Angelo Amador, even called the decision “rushed and opaque” — an ironic claim after nearly two decades of delay.
The Fight Continues
This moment underscores a hard truth: meaningful environmental change requires long-term vigilance and persistence. Turtle Island Restoration Network remains committed to ensuring that the U.S. government enforces the Marine Mammal Protection Act — and that seafood sold in this country no longer comes at the expense of whales, dolphins, and other marine life. Stay tuned and stay involved!
