The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority received confirmation on 18th March that the restrictions of exports of salmonids and spiny lobster to the United States have been lifted with immediate effect.
This change follows an update to the comparability finding issued by the USA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), granting Ireland equivalence for all its fisheries which can be read in full here. This decision reverses the restrictions previously introduced and communicated to Industry in late 2025.
This means that exports from Ireland to the USA may now resume for:
- salmonids from an aquaculture source farmed in Irish waters
- spiny lobster caught with tangle nets in Irish waters
In addition, the requirement for Certificates of Admissibility (COA) for similar products of Irish origin as outlined in previous notices has been removed.
Exporters should note, that where fish is imported into Ireland from third countries that have been denied a comparability finding, and subsequently processed and re-exported to the USA, such consignments will still require a COA. A full list of the countries denied comparability findings can be found here.
Accordingly, Irish exporters can revert to export protocols which were in place prior to the introduction of these restrictions. Specifically, consignments of fishery products from Ireland to the USA do not require an export health certificate, certificate of origin or COA. Exporters must ensure that they are registered with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the arrival of the consignment is pre-notified to the FDA.
Any queries regarding this information notice should be addressed to SFPATradeandAudit@sfpa.ie
ENDS
Notes to Editor
Link to page on SFPA website re. Exports of Fishery Products to the USA
Sea Fisheries Protection Authority > What We Do > Trade & Market Access Support > Exports > Export Information by Country > Exports to USA
FURTHER INFORMATION:
About the SFPA
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is the independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of the sea-fisheries and the sea-food production sectors. It promotes compliance with the EU Common Fisheries Policy, sea-fisheries law and food safety law relating to fish and fish products, verifies compliance and, where necessary, enforces it. Its mandate covers all fishing vessels operating within Ireland’s 200-mile limit, over 2,000 Irish registered fishing vessels wherever they operate, and all seafood produced in Ireland’s seafood processing companies. The SFPA operates through a network of regional port offices situated at Ireland’s main fishery harbours. For further information visit: www.sfpa.ie