Saving Seafood

Seafood Coalition Seeks Preliminary Injunction to Halt Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Prohibition in New Court Filing

October 14, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The coalition that filed suit against NOAA on Thursday October 9, over the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), today asked the Court of International Trade for a preliminary injunction that would halt import prohibitions that will bar the entry of seafood products from 240 fisheries across 46 nations.

The plaintiffs in this suit continue to be concerned about unintended consequences of the “comparability findings” made by NOAA and the impact of its current application on U.S. businesses and hundreds of American jobs from Maryland and Virgina to North Carolina and Florida.  The coalition has asked the court to require NOAA to reconsider its decision and to immediately lift the import ban in order to avoid devastating economic consequences to the seafood industry.

The filing notes that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) determinations exceed the agency’s statutory authority and violate its own regulations. The plaintiffs will suffer immediate and irreparable harm—including existential threats to their businesses which have no alternative sources of certain seafood if the foreign fisheries are closed.

“In so many cases with the implementation of this Act we’re not talking about ‘violations’ that put marine mammals at risk, we’re talking about box checking and regulatory equivalence rather than outcomes,” said NFI’s Chief Strategy Officer, Gavin Gibbons. “Meanwhile, in the case of Blue Swimming Crab there’s no domestic substitute that can feasibly replace the product. So, the consequence of failing to have a bureaucratic comparison is taking crab cakes off menus and putting Americans out of work. Is that what MMPA was designed to do?”

The request for a preliminary injunction presents evidence from Plaintiffs of serious concerns about imminent shutdowns, layoffs, stranded inventory, and breaches of supply contracts, in addition to financing risks. 

The parties to this lawsuit are strong proponents of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA.) They do not oppose it. They support its goals and want to see it responsibly and sensibly applied.

Group of seafood companies, NFI sue NOAA over its marine mammal protection decision

October 11, 2025 — A coalition of seafood importers and industry groups such as the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and the Restaurant Law Center have sued NOAA over its recent determinations on Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) requirements.

NOAA recently determined 240 foreign fisheries do not comply with U.S. marine mammal regulations under the MMPA, finding they did not have sufficient protections in place for marine mammals. As a result of the ruling, those 240 fisheries from 46 different nations will be unable to export any products to the U.S. as of 1 January 2026, including 12 countries that lost access for every single one of its fisheries. Those countries included four which did not submit any applications – Benin, Haiti, Iran, and Venezuela – and eight which submitted applications but were denied – Grenada, Guinea, Namibia, New Caledonia, Russia, Saint Lucia, The Gambia, and Togo.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NFI Congratulates Lisa Weddig on Retirement, Welcomes New Chief Science Officer

September 3, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

For nearly twenty years Lisa Weddig has headed up the regulatory and food safety work of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI.) With a degree in food science and technology from Virginia Tech and a master’s in nutrition education from Hood College, Weddig worked for the Food Processors Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association before joining NFI.

“Lisa is admired, respected, and relied upon by the seafood community and has been for almost two decades,” said NFI President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard. “Her professional reputation is sterling but her personal demeanor and approach to things has always been a comfort to those who’ve worked with her. Let’s be honest, if you’re an NFI member calling Lisa, and it’s not to talk about National’s baseball, you’ve got a challenge.  She’s been our go-to specialist with solutions for a long time, and we congratulate her on a well-deserved retirement.”       

Weddig will help facilitate the transition to her successor. Jon Woody, most recently the Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Division of Preparedness and Emergency Programs will replace Weddig.

In addition to his 24 years at the FDA, Woody has a deep understanding of industry, also having worked at the National Food Processors Association and its education arm, the Food Processors Institute after earning his master’s in food science from Penn State. At FDA, he led food safety preparedness and response initiatives, including the agency’s food defense program, and played a key role in developing and implementing Food Safety Modernization Act regulations such as the Intentional Adulteration and Food Traceability rules.

“Jon is a recognized food safety expert and will be a tremendous resource for our members,” said Picard. “Regulatory compliance, policy development, and emergency preparedness are a Holy Trinity in food safety. We couldn’t be more pleased to have him join our team.”

Weddig and Woody will coordinate on regulatory and food safety work through the 2026 Global Seafood Market Conference in January.

National Fisheries Institute Applauds President Trump on U.S.-EU Trade Agreement Framework

August 21, 2025 – The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Today’s joint statement from the United States and European Union, announcing the framework for a trade agreement, confirms the EU’s commitment to eliminate all EU tariffs on industrial goods, including seafood.  The statement also revives the 2020 U.S.–EU “mini lobster deal,” which recently expired, and expands that agreement to include processed lobster, in addition to live lobsters. Growing market access for U.S. seafood, like lobster, has been a tenet of NFI’s trade advocacy work.

We applaud the Administration on its success in expanding markets for American seafood globally.  We urge USTR to ensure that the European Union moves expeditiously to put these commitments into effect, so that U.S. seafood exporters and their American workers can capitalize on these advances as soon as possible.  These types of wins will have a demonstrable impact on U.S. companies, while providing European and other consumers premium, sustainable U.S. seafood products.

Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO

National Fisheries Institute Statement on Section 139L of the OBBB Act

July 3, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

NFI has been working diligently to help the seafood community benefit from the type of programs the agriculture sector has enjoyed for decades. This provision is a quintessential example of that work. Seafood, like ag, produces products that are vital to food security in this country. Meanwhile, our fishermen, producers and processors, who provide almost 1.6 million U.S. jobs, ensure the healthiest animal protein on the planet makes it to American plates, a true public health benefit.  

Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO 

National Fisheries Institute Statement on Executive Order on American Seafood

April 21, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Tonight, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at strengthening the U.S. seafood community. NFI commends the President and his Administration for taking a thoughtful, strategic approach to supporting American seafood production and consumption. The EO outlines key actions to benefit every link in the supply chain—from hardworking fishermen to parents who serve their family this nutritious and sustainable protein at home.

Importantly, the Order calls for reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on fishermen and seafood producers while also promoting the many benefits of eating seafood as part of a healthy, balanced diet. 

NFI stands ready to support the Administration in advancing this important policy initiative and improving the lives of all those who depend on the commercial seafood industry. 

 

Fishers celebrate Trump’s seafood order while conservation groups fear overfishing

April 18, 2025 — President Donald Trump’s executive order to boost the U.S. commercial fishing industry drew praise from commercial fishing groups and condemnation from environmental organizations who said they fear cutting regulations will harm fish populations that have already dwindled in some areas of the oceans.

The order represents a dramatic shift in federal policy on fishing in U.S. waters by prioritizing commercial fishing interests over efforts to allow the fish supply to increase.

The president described his decision as “an easy one” that will improve the U.S. commercial fishing industry by peeling back regulations and opening up harvesting in previously protected areas.

“The United States should be the world’s dominant seafood leader,” he said Thursday, citing the nation’s seafood trade deficit, which is more than $20 billion.

National Fisheries Institute Statement on appointment of the new Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries

April 15, 2025 — The following was released by National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute congratulates Eugenio Piñeiro
Soler on his appointment to serve as the new Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. We
commend the administration for working quickly to fill this vital position and for choosing a
seasoned veteran of the council management system and Magnuson-based fisheries policy. We
look forward to working with him.

 

National Fisheries Institute Statement on Tariff Announcement 

April 2, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

While we are encouraged by exemptions on reciprocal tariffs for some countries, like Canada and Mexico, tariffs will raise the cost of seafood, making the healthiest animal protein on the planet less available and more expensive. Meanwhile, the tariffs could threaten many of the 1.6 million American jobs that, according to the federal government, U.S. commercial seafood companies support.

National Fisheries Institute Sushi Council launches website

April 1, 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The NFI Sushi Council has established a digital presence with the launch of NFIsushicouncil.com. The site serves as a central knowledge bank for all things sushi, educating supply chain actors on food safety, product quality and economic integrity as well as promoting sushi as a healthy and exciting seafood-centric cuisine.

“Having achieved mass popularity, sushi can be found by consumers with ease,” said NFI Sushi Council Chairman Michael McNicholas of Culimer USA. “But for industry, locating the right information on properly sourcing and preparing sushi can be a challenge.”
With food safety as the group’s core mission, the NFI Sushi Council has created an accessible website that acts as a clearinghouse for guidance on product handling and preparation. The dynamic site invites seafood professionals to learn best practices critical to their value chain roles in producing the highest level of sushi products.
“Sushi is as much a business as a consumer trend,” said council member Annie Trinh of Jensen Tuna, who served on a task force designing the site. “The website reflects these natures with both the substance to keep sushi safe and the style that makes sushi a thriving driver of seafood consumption.”
The NFI Sushi Council is a pre-competitive stakeholder group working to enhance sushi product integrity and promote industry-led food safety. The council, aided by its website, seeks to position itself as a unified voice for the sushi marketplace. Visit NFIsushicouncil.com for more information on how to “Sushi Responsibly.”