IWMC World Conservation Trust,
“Comfortable” with WTO Panel Decision

Dunedian, Florida - 19 October 1998: Eugene Lapointe, President of the conservation organization, IWMC World Conservation Trust, today announced that a ruling by the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has turned out to be favorable for both conservation practices and economic development. The WTO Panel ruled in favor of countries who complained about a U.S. embargo of their shrimp imports. This embargo was put in place because the countries’ turtle conservation programs do not include mandatory use of identical turtle excluder devices (TED) on the nets which American shrimpers have to use. The Panel stated that the embargo has been in violation of the rules of the international trade organization. Therefore, the United States must either drop the embargo or pay a fine for WTO violation in this instance.

Activist organizations had pushed the U.S. to insist that India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand should be forced to use turtle exclusion devices on their shrimp nets, a technique used here to prevent sea turtle deaths. Lapointe noted that the countries which had been affected by the U.S. embargo, have all had turtle conservation plans which, although not identical to those in the U.S., have been internationally praised for their effectiveness. It therefore appears the U.S. insistence on TEDs may have been unreasonable from a conservation standpoint. 

Lapointe noted that activist organizations and American Gulf Coast shrimpers, who have to use TEDs because of U.S. law, were behind the U.S. decision to place an embargo on imported shrimp. "The activists wanted to raise funds and credibility on the turtle issue, said Lapointe, while the American shrimpers claim they are at an economic disadvantage because of the $75 cost of the device". He pointed out that while this may not seem like much, in U.S. terms, it could amount to a month's salary in a developing nation. "Forcing these nations to use the TED devices would have little effect on the turtles because the harvesting technique is different but could well put them out of business". 

Lapointe called the WTO Panel ruling a victory for fairness in international economic development while at the same time, it is not harmful to the cause of sea turtle conservation, which is very important in principle. He urged that the U.S. honor the WTO decision by dropping the embargo, and finding a way to ease the economic burden of American shrimpers, so as to create a “level playing field” in the shrimp market. Lapointe claimed that "such a reaction would set a good example for both conservation advocates and business interests by demonstrating the positive effects of reasonable compromise".

For further information, please contact
Eugene Lapointe, IWMC President,
Former Secretary General of CITES (1982-1990)
Tel/Fax: +1(727) 734-4949 or Email: iwmc@iwmc.org