Myanmar’s seafood exports declined between April and June of this year, even as the nation shortened its annual fishing ban aimed at giving key species time to spawn.
During the period, Myanmar exported 55,900 metric tons (MT) of seafood products worth USD 64.2 million (EUR 55.3 million), marking a drop of 8.8 percent year over year by volume and 7.5 percent by value compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from Myanmar’s Department of Fisheries.
The Southeast Asian nation’s government traditionally enforces a three-month fishing moratorium from May to July to prevent overfishing; however, this year, the ban was shortened to two months, allowing fleets to return to sea earlier than normal.
More than 20 saltwater species, including hilsa, pomfret, tongue sole, grouper, squid, and tiger prawn, were preserved in cold storage at the Yangon Port to maintain year-round supply during the closure, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.
However, even as commercial fishing was allowed to proceed in July, many vessels got off to slow starts, as companies faced labor shortages, repairs, and monitored for monsoonal weather patterns, per The Star.
Making things more difficult for the country’s seafood export sector, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will impose a reciprocal tariff of 40 percent on goods from Myanmar, which is one of the highest rates the U.S. has imposed on any nation.
In the 2024-25 fiscal year, which ended on 31 March this year, Myanmar exported about 400,000 MT of seafood products, generating over USD 421 million (EUR 362.6 million) in revenue. The country currently exports seafood to around 40 international markets, mainly to fellow Asian nations, including China, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Japan.
To support this export network, Myanmar has more than 140 cold storage seafood-processing facilities licensed by the country’s department of fisheries.
