Seafood Import Prohibitions and Certification of Admissibility Requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions

Comparability Finding Determinations

Effective January 1, 2026, nations with fisheries denied comparability findings under the MMPA Import Provisions are prohibited from importing fish and fish products from those fisheries into the United States. 

On September 2, 2025, NOAA Fisheries announced in the Federal Register its initial comparability finding determinations under the MMPA Import Provisions. Until or unless a nation applies for and receives a revised comparability finding determination, current comparability finding determinations are valid through December 31, 2029. Nations that have been denied comparability findings may reapply at any time. 

NOAA Fisheries maintains the current status of harvesting nations’ comparability findings on its comparability finding determinations page.

Seafood Import Prohibitions Under the MMPA Import Provisions

To implement import prohibitions for fish and fish products from fisheries denied comparability findings under the MMPA Import Provisions, NOAA Fisheries identified prohibited fisheries by nation, target species, associated U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes, fishing area (or aquaculture operation), and fishing gear type.

NOAA Fisheries compiled the following resources to aid nations, the seafood industry, and the trade community in identifying fish or fish products associated with import prohibitions under the MMPA. These lists are subject to change as U.S. HTS codes or species names change, as comparability finding determinations are updated as nations reapply, or in light of other updated trade information.

Prohibited Fisheries by Harvesting Nation, Species, Gear Type, and Fishing Areas for the MMPA Import Provisions

The resource below identifies prohibited fisheries by harvesting nation (nation that submitted a comparability finding application for the fisheries that it manages and exports to the United States), species (defined by FAO ASFIS 3-Alpha code), gear types (identified by fishing gear code), and fishing areas. 

MMPA Prohibited Fisheries (Excel download)

Fishing Area Descriptions for the MMPA Import Provisions

The resource below provides a description of the Fishing Area Codes used for the MMPA Prohibited Fisheries list. It provides detailed descriptions, including Exclusive Economic Zones and international waters, for each nation in the MMPA Prohibited Fisheries list. 

Fishing Area Descriptions (Excel download)

Certification of Admissibility Requirements

Certification of Admissibility (COA) requirements for fish and fish products imported into the United States are based on the Country of Origin (COO) and the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code used for the product. All imported fish and fish products that report a combination of COO and HTS code identified under the list of  “Prohibited Fisheries” must be accompanied by a COA upon entry to clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

NOAA Fisheries requires a COA to attest that the species composition, method, and location of harvest of the products are not subject to MMPA import prohibitions. The COA allows seafood products to enter the United States that would otherwise be blocked at entry due to sharing similar trade data as prohibited products.

Country of Origin (COO) and U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Codes “flagged” under the MMPA Import Provisions that require a Certification of Admissibility (COA) to enter the United States 

The resource below indicates for each COO, corresponding "flagged" U.S. HTS codes for products from that COO that are the same or similar to products that may originate from a prohibited fishery. Admissible fish or fish products imported to the United States under these flagged U.S. HTS codes will require the submission of a COA to verify that the product is not subject to MMPA import prohibitions.

MMPA COA Harmonized Tariff Schedule Codes (Excel download) 

COA Instructions and Resources

What You Will Need to Import Fish and Fish Products

NOAA Fisheries works with CBP to implement the MMPA import prohibitions and COA requirements. Any person importing products “flagged” for potential MMPA import prohibitions into the United States will require a COA to attest that fish and fish product is admissible. NOAA Fisheries identified products subject to MMPA import prohibitions by their combined COO and U.S. HTS code (see “Certification of Admissibility Requirements” for more information). COA forms are specific to a shipment and cannot be re-used. U.S. importers must provide their completed COA form(s) corresponding to the entry into the CBP Automated Commercial Environment Document Image System. CBP entry filing instructions are available in CSMS # 67590021.   

For fish and fish products that are subject to COA requirements, use the COA form and associated instructions, provided below.

• Certification of Admissibility (PDF Download)
• Instructions for Certification of Admissibility Form (PDF Download)

How to Complete the COA 

All sections of the COA must be complete. To implement the MMPA import prohibitions, duly authorized foreign government officials from harvesting or exporting nations are required to sign COA forms as appropriate to attest that fish and fish products offered for entry into the United States are not subject to import prohibitions. The spreadsheet below includes details on authorized officials designated by affected nations to certify the COAs. This information is subject to change as foreign governments provide updated information on their authorized officials to NOAA Fisheries. 

Foreign Nation COA Authorized Officials List (Excel Download)

Other NOAA Fisheries Trade Monitoring Programs