In its press release the Department of State said that the US authority has prohibited the import of shrimp products harvested in ways that may adversely affect some sea turtle species of Mexico. It also said that it certified Mexico to ensure the effectiveness of Mexico’s Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) program. But the wild-harvested shrimp from Mexico’s commercial trawl fisheries are allowed to import.
The ban will remain in effect until the Department of State certifies to Congress that Mexico has taken measures to reduce the incidental taking of sea turtles in its shrimp trawl fisheries, such as through the use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs), or that the fishing environment of the harvesting nation does not threaten sea turtles.
To make the sea turtle conservation strong the Mexican government implemented a plan of action in the past in its shrimp trawl fisheries. It represents significant improvements in the use of turtle excluder devices by its fishing industry. TED technology has been assessed by many countries and the U.S. assists such efforts through technology transfers and capacity building in the hope that more countries can contribute to sea turtle species recovery and be added to the certified list.
