The Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources has announced that obstacles to the export of Sri Lankan sea crabs (Blue Swimming Crab) to the United States have been removed after Sri Lanka successfully fulfilled the stringent requirements imposed under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) for the export of fishery products.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), operating under the US Department of Commerce, has officially confirmed that Sri Lanka’s sea crab fishing practices and related regulations are comparable in effectiveness to the standards maintained in the United States.

Although these exports were impacted by a previous US court ruling issued in November 2025, the Department of Fisheries has now reviewed the matter and granted approval after considering the scientific data and evidence submitted by the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) and other relevant authorities.

Some of the key features of this approval are as follows:

1. Confirmation of export rights: Sri Lanka will receive the mandatory “Comparability Finding” required for exporting fishery products to the United States.
2. Validity period: This official approval will remain valid until December 31, 2029, allowing Sri Lanka’s sea crab exports to continue without interruption during this period.
3. Environmentally friendly fishing industry: The fishing methods adopted by Sri Lanka to prevent harm to marine mammals such as dolphins and whales have received international recognition and appreciation.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources further stated that this achievement marks an important step toward strengthening the livelihoods of the country’s fishing community while also contributing to increased foreign exchange earnings for the national economy.