MPEDA knocks state govts for reforms in marine fishing act to boost shrimp exports to US

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is pushing for necessary reforms in marine products act with state governments that will facilitate lifting of the ban by United States imposed two years earlier to make India more responsible toward turtle prevention, an official said. Some 15 percent of total shrimps exports from India had been impacted due to the ban by the US on import of sea caught shrimps from India.

In India, law and order and fishing regulations are state subjects and are governed by respective local governments. The ban is only on sea shrimps (catch shrimps) as they are presumed to be caught by vessels without using turtle excluder devices (TED). There is no issue with farmed shrimps exports.

”We are progressing well in dialogue to get the ban lifted. Now state governments will have to show their eagerness in strengthening laws against the offenders of turtle regulations. In the last two years, a lot of progress had been achieved in implementing fitting turtle excluder devices and almost all trawlers are fitted with such devices. But, the USA wants India to strengthen the act,” a senior MPEDA official told PTI.