Commercial fishing gear kills marine mammals around the world. Whales, dolphins, seals, and other animals can become trapped in gillnets, longlines, and trawls. Some drown. Others suffer deep wounds, infection, exhaustion, or starvation before they die.

Now conservation groups are pushing the U.S. government to use the power it already has. The Center for Biological Diversity reports that groups sued NOAA Fisheries and federal agencies to stop seafood imports from eight foreign fisheries accused of killing unsustainable numbers of marine mammals with fishing gear.

The challenged imports involve fisheries linked to Argentina, Ecuador, India, Norway, Taiwan, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and Vanuatu.

Marine mammals should not die for imported seafood.

US Law Requires Comparable Standards

The Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions require nations exporting fish and fish products to the United States to maintain marine mammal bycatch standards comparable in effectiveness to U.S. standards.

NOAA Fisheries states that countries denied comparability findings are prohibited from importing fish and fish products from those fisheries into the United States, effective January 1, 2026. That gives the U.S. a direct tool to drive change.

NRDC says the lawsuit seeks to halt imports from foreign fisheries that entangle and kill too many marine mammals. Animal Welfare Institute says some of the challenged fisheries use high-risk gear and fail to sufficiently track marine mammal deaths.

Fishing gear can drown whales, turtles and dolphins.

Federal Agencies Must Enforce The Law

The United States is one of the world’s largest seafood markets. That gives federal agencies leverage. When imports are blocked, foreign governments and fisheries have a reason to reduce bycatch, improve monitoring, and change dangerous gear practices.

Consumers should not have to unknowingly buy seafood tied to preventable marine mammal deaths. U.S. fishermen are required to follow domestic standards. Foreign fisheries that sell into the U.S. market should not receive weaker treatment.

NOAA Fisheries, Commerce, Treasury, and Homeland Security should enforce import prohibitions, require transparent documentation, and improve seafood traceability.

Sign the petition to urge federal agencies to block seafood imports from foreign fisheries killing whales, dolphins, seals, and other marine mammals.