**India Eyes Global Certification for Seafood to Counter US Tariffs**
**NEW DELHI:** In an effort to counter the impact of unilateral tariffs imposed by the United States, India is planning to seek global certification for its seafood products. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, an internationally recognized sustainability standard, could help Indian seafood command premium prices—up to 30% higher than before.
The US, previously India’s largest seafood market valued at $7.38 billion (35% of exports), implemented a steep 59.73% tariff on Indian seafood. This move severely affected the seafood industry, leading to significant market challenges for exporters.
In response, the Union government intends to allocate special funds through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) 2.0 scheme to support MSC certification for 10 key Indian fisheries. National institutes, such as the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), are providing technical assistance to drive this initiative.
The 10 priority fisheries include a variety of deep-sea and coastal species such as shrimps, squid, cuttlefish, Karikadi shrimp, threadfin breams, blue swimming crab, and octopus. These categories are currently in the final stages of addressing technical gaps before certification. India is expected to achieve full MSC certification for these fisheries by 2026.
“It has been a tedious five-year process, and now we are preparing to apply for MSC certification in 2026,” said Dr. Sunil Mohammad, a former principal scientist at CMFRI.
The certification process involves a cost of around Rs 20 lakh per category, with the government committing to bear half of the total expenses to support the seafood sector.
Currently, India has only one fishery—the Ashtamudi short-neck clam fishery from Kerala—certified under the MSC. With this new push for certification, India aims to regain its market share, particularly in Europe, and strengthen its position in the global seafood market.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2025/Sep/28/in-big-push-to-fisheries-sector-india-eyes-global-certification-for-seafood
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