Kochi– A landmark scientific study by the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has enabled India to maintain uninterrupted access to the U.S. seafood market, following recognition that Indian fisheries comply with America’s stringent Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
The U.S. clearance, which removes a major regulatory barrier for Indian seafood exports, was granted after CMFRI completed a nationwide marine mammal stock assessment across India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The findings provided strong scientific evidence that Indian fishing operations are sustainable and do not cause undue harm to marine life.
Based on CMFRI’s data, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) acknowledged India’s bycatch mitigation efforts, vessel monitoring systems, and licensing frameworks as being on par with U.S. standards.
Conducted in collaboration with the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and the Fishery Survey of India (FSI), the CMFRI project marks India’s first robust scientific estimate of marine mammal abundance and bycatch rates.
The study covered 18 species — including blue whales, sperm whales, dolphins, and porpoises — and confirmed that marine mammal populations in Indian waters remain healthy. A key metric used in the assessment was the Potential Biological Removal (PBR), which measures the sustainable limit of incidental catches. Data collected from more than 8,000 fishermen showed that India’s actual bycatch levels were well below the permissible thresholds.
The MMPA requires all seafood-exporting countries to demonstrate that their fisheries do not inflict unsustainable harm on marine mammals — a condition that had previously placed India’s seafood trade at risk. In response, CMFRI undertook a large-scale, vessel-based survey using internationally recognized line-transect techniques to assess the status of marine mammals throughout the EEZ.
Recognizing these efforts, the U.S. report cited India’s scientific and regulatory initiatives as evidence of a credible framework for bycatch monitoring and mitigation.
“CMFRI’s research formed the scientific foundation for India’s submission of the Comparability Finding Analysis (CFA), playing a crucial role in safeguarding a multi-billion-dollar trade and preventing a potential export ban,” said Dr. Ratheesh Kumar Raveendran, Principal Investigator of the “Marine Mammal Stock Assessment in India” project.
He added that CMFRI will continue monitoring marine mammal populations to ensure long-term sustainability and compliance with global trade standards. (Source: IANS)
