NOAA Lifted Marine Mammal Import Restrictions on Suriname Seafood
CBP title: National Marine Fisheries Service Lifts Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Restrictions for Suriname
This message is from June 25, 2026. Later CSMS messages may have changed it. See the latest trade news
What did CBP announce?
CBP announced that NOAA Fisheries issued a comparability finding for Suriname's fisheries, lifting Marine Mammal Protection Act import restrictions effective June 22, 2026. As a result, a Certification of Admissibility was no longer required for seafood imports from Suriname unless the product was processed in another country still subject to MMPA restrictions. The notice affected importers of seafood products from Suriname.
What is Allied's position?
This CSMS is over three months old and describes a change that took effect June 22, 2026. If it still governs your entries, no Certification of Admissibility is needed for qualifying Suriname seafood unless the goods passed through another restricted country. Later CBP messages may have updated this requirement, so ask us to confirm the current status before you rely on it for entries you are filing now.
General information, not legal advice.
What does the CBP message say?
On June 22, 2026, The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) issued comparability findings for the fisheries of Suriname. This action lifts the seafood import restrictions on these nations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Import Provisions (https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-12494).
As a result, effective June 22, 2026, NOAA Fisheries no longer requires a Certification of Admissibility (COA) to accompany imports from Suriname. However, a COA may still be required if the products are processed in another nation with import restrictions under the MMPA.
Resources on the Harmonized Tariff Schedule Codes and Countries of Origin flagged under the MMPA import restrictions and associated prohibited fisheries are available online: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/outreach-materials/harmonized-tariff-codes-and-other-resources-marine-mammal-protection
More information about Suriname’s comparability finding reports and other MMPA Import Provisions updates is available online: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/international-affairs/2025-marine-mammal-protection-act-comparability-finding-determinations (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/international-affairs/marine-mammal-protection-act-comparability-finding-determinations-harvesting)
Questions on these import prohibitions can be directed to NOAA Fisheries at one of the following emails:
• For information relating to the MMPA Import Provisions, comparability finding determinations, and affected fish products, contact MMPA.LOFF@noaa.gov (mailto:MMPA.LOFF@noaa.gov).
• For technical assistance on COA requirements, contact trademonitoring.support@noaa.gov (mailto:trademonitoring.support@noaa.gov).
Questions can also be directed to CBP at strategicenforcementbranch@cbp.dhs.gov (mailto:strategicenforcementbranch@cbp.dhs.gov).
Related Message Number(s): CSMS# 67590021, CSMS# 67055632