Suriname is permitted to resume exporting fish and fish products to the United States of America. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has granted Suriname a positive Comparability Finding for its driftnet fishery.
With this, the previously imposed export ban from 2025 has been lifted. At that time, Suriname did not meet the American requirements for driftnet fishing, after which a new application was submitted for reassessment.
On June 18, Suriname received a letter from the United States confirming the positive assessment. According to the NMFS, it has been determined that the Surinamese fishery, identified as Fisheries ID 2899, is comparable in effectiveness to the U.S. regulatory program.
According to the American agency, the decision will be published in the Federal Register and on the NMFS website around June 18, 2026. The approval for Suriname remains valid until December 31, 2029.
However, the NMFS emphasizes that comparability may be reassessed during this period. If progress reports or other available information indicate that the Surinamese regulatory program no longer meets the conditions, the approval may be terminated.
The American agency therefore calls on Suriname to continue and, where possible, strengthen efforts to minimize incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals in commercial fisheries.
The NMFS implements the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a U.S. law aimed at protecting marine mammals. According to the import rules of this act, countries exporting fish products to the U.S. must have a regulatory program that prevents mortality and serious injury of marine mammals in fisheries. That program must be comparable in effectiveness to the American system.
With this positive assessment, Suriname regains access to an important export market for fish and fish products.
