March 27, 2026

 

Resumption of Ireland's salmon exports to US a positive sign, according to IFA Aquaculture

 

IFA Aquaculture has hailed the resumption of exports of Irish salmon to the United States as a positive signal for the Irish aquaculture and seafood processing sector.

 

"The US market is strategically important for the sector which has seen significant growth for Irish salmon producers and exporters in recent years,"it has said.

 

It follows the announcement by Minister of State for Fisheries Timmy Dooley that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has published a comparability finding determination, which granted positive findings for Irish farmed salmon exports to the US.

 

"These newly-published findings will give certainty to Irish salmon producers until December 2029,"IFA Aquaculture said.

 

The export of salmonid products from Ireland had been subject to restrictions on exports to the US from January 1st this year under provisions in the US Marine Mammal Protection Act.

 

IFA Aquaculture acknowledged "the effort of the relevant ministers for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and their officials for their engagement on the matter with NOAA and the European Commission".

 

"The support of the Embassy of Ireland in Washington was also vital for the reinstatement of export eligibility and to ensure Ireland's aquaculture framework is fully compliant with evolving international standards,"it has said.

 

The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has confirmed that exports from Ireland to the USA may now resume for:

 

In addition, the requirement for Certificates of Admissibility (COA) for similar products of Irish origin as outlined in previous notices has been removed, the SFPA said.

 

The SFPA said that 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 US, such consignments will still require a COA.

 

A full list of the countries denied comparability findings can be found here.

 

"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,"the SFPA said.

 

"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," it added.

 

- Afloat