The Restaurant Law Center, along with the National Fisheries Institute and several seafood suppliers, has filed a lawsuit against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regarding the implementation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The legal action follows NOAA’s decision on September 2, 2025, which will enforce a broad import ban on certain seafood products beginning January 1, 2026.
These imported seafood products are essential for many U.S. restaurants. Angelo Amador, Executive Director of the Restaurant Law Center, stated: “This is not about opposing the Marine Mammal Protection Act—we support its goals. But NOAA’s rushed and opaque implementation is poised to devastate seafood supply chains that restaurants across the country rely on. Without access to these products, many restaurants will be forced to remove popular seafood items from their menus, raise prices, or worse—close their doors.”
The Restaurant Law Center joined the lawsuit to represent the interests of over one million restaurants and foodservice outlets in the United States. The organization claims that NOAA did not properly consider how its decision would affect American businesses or assess the practical consequences in line with the Administrative Procedure Act.
Amador further commented: "Restaurants are already facing tight margins and labor shortages. This abrupt ban—announced with just four months’ notice—will cause menu disruptions, contract breaches, and job losses across the foodservice sector. NOAA’s failure to engage stakeholders or consider the economic fallout is not just irresponsible—it’s unlawful.”
Plaintiffs argue that there are no sufficient domestic alternatives to replace the banned imports because U.S. fisheries cannot provide the necessary volume or quality required by restaurants. They also point out that some foreign fisheries affected by the ban have invested in sustainable practices but were still excluded due to procedural issues rather than conservation outcomes.
The case has been filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York City. The plaintiffs are asking the court to overturn the import bans and require NOAA to review its decision using an approach that reflects both legal requirements and practical realities in global seafood sourcing.
