© IFA Aquaculture
The ban, which also affects spiny lobster exports, stems from a decision by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority’s (SFPA) issued an Information Notice last week, outlining the reasoning. NOAA determined that Ireland’s aquaculture salmon does not meet US regulatory equivalence standards, specifically citing that provisions under the Wildlife Act 1976 are deemed insufficient to provide reassurance to the US authorities.
IFA Aquaculture vice-chair Catherine McManus said the decision is disproportionate and a blow to Ireland’s premium aquaculture sector, stressing that the determination is based on a technical legal interpretation rather than any evidence of harm or non-compliance within Irish salmon farming operations.
The US ban will affect salmon from aquaculture sources and spiny lobster, while other seafood exports remain unaffected. From January 2026, exports of related products will also require Certificates of Admissibility confirming that consignments contain no aquaculture salmon or spiny lobster.
IFPEA general secretary Brendan Byrne stressed that the issue is solvable, but only if it is treated with urgency.
“We need immediate diplomatic effort from all of Government to resolve this issue. The loss of access to the US market not only threatens jobs and investment in coastal communities but also undermines confidence in Ireland’s seafood exports globally,” said Byrne in a press release.
Byrne warned that the ban will have serious commercial and reputational impacts.
“This is a major setback for Irish aquaculture and the Seafood Processing sector. The US market is small but strategically important, and a ban sends entirely the wrong signal internationally. We need government action – now – not in six months,” he added.
IFA Aquaculture & IFPEA are calling on the relevant ministers for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) to engage urgently with NOAA and the European Commission to secure an interim resolution and to amend the relevant provisions of the Wildlife Act to align with international equivalence requirements.
The industry bodies will continue to work with government and industry partners to seek reinstatement of export eligibility as soon as possible and to ensure Ireland’s aquaculture framework is fully compliant with evolving international standards.
