by Linda Straker
- US import restrictions do not affect Grenada’s ability to fish, sell locally, or trade in other markets
- Ministry acting swiftly to close identified gaps to restore access to US seafood market in 2026
- 2025 first quarter data from Ministry of Finance showed a 1% increase in fish export
As Grenada prepares to face the backlash of not being able to export its fish and fish products to the US market from January 2026, the Ministry of Marine Affairs said it is working towards having the ban lifted before 2027.
“The ministry is working collaboratively with stakeholders, legal experts, and partners to restore access to the US seafood market in 2026 and to uphold Grenada’s reputation for responsible marine stewardship. Public consultations will be held to keep stakeholders informed and to invite recommendations,” said a news release disseminated via the Government Information Service (GIS).
Admitting that the US market is important to Grenada’s fishing community, the ministry said that it is working to become compliant with the relevant US regulations. “We are acting swiftly to close the identified gaps — through urgent legal reform, stronger monitoring, and close engagement with international partners — so Grenada can restore US market access as quickly as possible in 2026.”
Some of the immediate actions underway include legislative, monitoring and reporting, and comparability reapplication in early 2026. The promise is to fix the relevant legislation by the last quarter of 2025 and, at the same time, fast-track regulations to prohibit intentional killing or serious injury of marine mammals in commercial fisheries.
The ministry will also establish penalties and enforcement, as well as monitoring and reporting, in the last quarter of 2025. “Introduce mandatory reporting of all marine mammal interactions; enhance monitoring at sea and at landing sites,” said the release, which promised that a new comparability application to NOAA would be submitted with updated laws, enforcement provisions, and monitoring evidence in early 2026.
Other immediate actions by the ministry are seeking stakeholder support during the last quarter of 2025 and into 2026 to provide guidance and technical assistance to fishers and exporters during the transition, and at the same time, engage FAO, OECS, and US counterparts for technical support and capacity building.
The release explained that the US import restrictions do not affect Grenada’s ability to fish, sell locally, or trade in other markets. The 2024 midyear review, which was laid in the Houses of Parliament as a public document, noted that over 3,000 active fisherfolk and over 900 fishing vessels are registered with the Fisheries Division. The number of individuals employed within this industry represents over 7% of the employed labour force.
During the first quarter of 2025, data from the Ministry of Finance showed an increase of 1% in the export of fish. Grenada’s fish is mainly exported to the US market, particularly along the Eastern Seaboard, according to people involved in the fish export business, with an annual revenue gain of more than EC$50 million.
On 29 August 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Department announced in the Federal Register that Grenada would be banned from exporting its fish and fish products to the US market as of January 2026 because it failed to submit a comparability finding determination under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Import Provisions.
What other market do we have to buy the quantity of fish that is caught by the longline fishermen? We already have a problem with the shipping of our fish because. some of our boats sometimes have to go to Trinidad to get our fish shipped simply because there is not sufficient flights to send out our fish.Now with this problem most of our boats will simply have to pack up