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Japan is one of the world’s leading consumers of seafood. In 2022, it imported $15 billion of seafood products, making it the world’s third largest importer. Half of Japan’s seafood demand is met by imports. The United States is the third largest seafood supplier to Japan, specializing in salmon, cod, pollock, herring, crab, and lobster.

On February 24, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an order pertaining to FSSAI Order TIC-20012/2021-IMPORTS-FSSAI (E2475), extending the compliance date for a third time for Imports of Milk, Pork, and Fish Products.

Taiwan’s overall seafood imports reached US$2.1 billion in 2022, up 20 percent from 2021, with imports from the United States decreasing slightly to US$32 million.

China remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2022, with production expected to reach 67.5 million metric tons (MMT), up from the 66.9 MMT in 2021. Production growth continues to be driven by aquaculture which is expected to increase 1.2 percent year-on-year to reach 54.6 MMT in 2022.

On January 10, 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an order pertaining to FSSAI Order TIC-20012/2/2021-IMPORTS-FSSAI (E-2475), extending for a second time, the effective compliance date.

This report outlines Philippine government requirements for the importation of fishery and seafood products. The report aims to assist U.S. exporters by providing information on labeling, packaging, permitted ingredients, and other relevant information. It also provides points of contact for key Philippine government authorities.

On November 26, 2020, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock enacted the Fisheries and Fisheries (Inspection and Quality Control) Act 2020 to enforce new laws reflecting the repealed provision of the Fish and Fish Products (Inspection and Quality Control) Ordinance 1983.

On November 14, 2018, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock enacted the Fish Quarantine Act 2018 which issues provisions regarding pathogens and quarantine of fish and fish products. The Act covers the fish quarantine authority; import permits, controls, restrictions, bans, and detentions; and fish pathogen restrictions and elimination.

Bulgarian fish and seafood importers are seeking to expand the variety of locally available fish, particularly among the mid and high-value categories. According to the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute (NSI), which measures trade data based on country of origin, and therefore captures U.S. trade routed through other European ports of entry, Bulgaria imported $166,000 of U.S. fish and seafood in 2021, up 29 percent from the difficult 2020, but significantly lower than the pre-COVID levels of $554,656 in 2019.

The fisheries sector contributes to 3.2 percent to Senegal’s gross domestic product (GDP), accounts for 10.2 percent of Senegal exports, and generated $400 million in value in 2021. There is a growing demand for high quality fish and seafood products because overfishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing have led to depleted fish stocks, creating market access opportunities for U.S. seafood exporters.

Japan will require importers of U.S. products containing mackerel, Pacific saury, sardine, squid and cuttlefish to submit a newly approved Catch Certificate issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The requirement extends to all seafood originating from these species if the marine product is harvested after November 30, 2022.

In 2021, U.S. seafood exports to Hong Kong recovered 31 percent year-on-year to $180 million, and taking over a significant share in niche market segments such as lobsters, eels, oysters, and other frozen mollusks products. Hong Kong has a vast seafood market with an import value of $4 billion in 2021, recovering 20 percent despite the COVID-19 pandemic.