Enviro News Asia, Boston — Indonesia is set to return to the international stage at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) in Boston, United States, after several years of absence. The Indonesian government will open a national booth at the major seafood exhibition scheduled to take place from 15–17 March 2026. The event is considered one of the largest seafood trade exhibitions in the United States and a strategic platform to expand Indonesia’s seafood exports to the American market.
In preparation for Indonesia’s participation, Trade Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C., Ranitya Kusumadewi, held an online meeting with Indonesian seafood exporters to explain regulatory procedures and requirements set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA). The briefing aimed to help exporters better understand compliance standards necessary to enter the U.S. seafood market.
Indonesia’s seafood export potential to the United States remains significant. Data from 2025 shows that the total value of Indonesian fisheries exports to the United States reached approximately USD 1.99 billion. Shrimp dominated exports with a value of USD 1.87 billion, followed by crab at USD 350 million and tuna at USD 250 million. Indonesian Ambassador to the United States, Indroyono Soesilo, emphasized that the United States remains one of the world’s largest seafood markets with high consumption levels and strict food safety standards. Indonesia, as one of the largest seafood producers globally, holds significant potential to expand its presence in the U.S. market, provided exporters comply with the regulatory framework.
During the meeting, Agus Setiawan, Regulatory Advisor for U.S. FDA Compliance at Registrar Corp, explained the regulatory steps required for Indonesian seafood companies. Exporters must first register their facilities as official food facilities with the US-FDA. Companies exporting canned seafood products must also obtain a Food Canning Establishment (FCE) registration number, while products submitted to the FDA database must receive a Submission Identifier (SID). These registration numbers will then be verified by the FDA. For instance, canned shrimp requires an FCE registration, while packaged frozen shrimp does not.
Exported seafood products must also comply with strict labeling requirements, including product name, nutritional information, ingredient list, claims in accordance with FDA standards, and labeling in English. For shrimp products specifically, accurate calculation of cholesterol, sodium, and protein content is required. Products without a compliant Nutrition Facts label may be detained at U.S. ports of entry.
The US-FDA also requires exporters to implement food safety management systems such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC). HACCP focuses on identifying and controlling biological, chemical, and physical hazards in the production process, while HARPC emphasizes preventive risk management. According to Agus Setiawan, shrimp exporters are generally advised to implement both systems, although compliance with HACCP’s seven Critical Control Points may already satisfy key regulatory requirements for shrimp exports to the United States.
Indonesia’s shrimp exports previously faced challenges in August 2025 when the U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) in frozen shrimp shipments from Indonesia at four U.S. ports: Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami. The US-FDA confirmed contamination levels of 68 Bq/kg—below the agency’s intervention threshold of 1,200 Bq/kg but approximately 100 times above the normal background level. Following the findings, the FDA issued Import Alert 99-51 in August 2025 and Import Alert 99-52 on 31 October 2025, placing several Indonesian companies on monitoring lists.
The Indonesian government responded swiftly. Under coordination from the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, a joint team was formed involving the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia, Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency of Indonesia, National Research and Innovation Agency, and Indonesian Food and Drug Authority to address the issue in coordination with U.S. authorities.
Following intensive discussions and corrective measures, Indonesian shrimp exports resumed under strict monitoring. On 9 December 2025, two containers of shrimp confirmed to be free of Cs-137 were shipped to the United States. By the end of December 2025, Indonesia had exported 292 containers of shrimp. According to Trade Attaché Ranitya Kusumadewi, by the end of February 2026 more than 2,000 containers of Indonesian shrimp had successfully entered the U.S. market, all verified to be free from radioactive contamination.
At the upcoming Seafood Expo North America, Dr. Bara Hasibuan, Secretary of the Cs-137 Task Force, is scheduled to deliver a presentation on Indonesia’s efforts to ensure seafood safety and regulatory compliance. The initiative aims to further boost Indonesian seafood exports to the United States, strengthen foreign exchange earnings, and create employment opportunities across Indonesia’s fisheries sector. (*)
