Pakistan’s seafood exports to European Union (EU) countries are unlikely to resume next year, as the EU’s inspection plan for 2026 does not include Pakistan, effectively extending the ban for at least another year, sources revealed on Wednesday.
Since 2007, Pakistan’s seafood exports to the EU have remained delisted, but government officials have remained hopeful that an EU inspection team could visit Pakistan next year, most likely in the first quarter. Several rounds of meetings have been held in an attempt to resolve the issue.
However, Business Recorder reported, citing sources, that the EU’s proposed inspection plan for 2026 does not feature Pakistan for the evaluation of seafood facilities, particularly those at Karachi Fish Harbour.Â
This exclusion means the possibility of adding more seafood processing companies to the approved list has been hindered. Despite this, exporters seem largely unaffected by the delay.
Saeed Farid, Senior Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Fisheries Export Association (PAKFEA), stated, “There are already four companies exporting seafood to EU countries, and most others are not prepared to seek enlistment because EU regulations are extremely strict and difficult to maintain.”
He also criticised the Sindh government for its poor management of fish harbour maintenance and fisheries management, emphasising that the core issue lies in the lack of effective support from official partners to facilitate EU inspections.
Farid also pointed to a decline in fisheries landings over time, which he linked to limited exports to the EU. He noted that new entrants are less interested in entering the EU market, but expressed satisfaction that China has emerged as Pakistan’s largest seafood importer, accounting for about 65% of the country’s total seafood exports.
