| | |  Business News 
US-Mexico to Discuss Ban on Shrimp Imports
 Victor Mayén - The News
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March 16, 2010
 |  | García declared that the Mexican Senate will see if the commercial ban is not an act of protectionism by the United States. |  | | |
Mexico City – The recent prohibition of Mexican shrimp imports by the government of President Barack Obama will be discussed at the next inter-parliamentary meeting between Mexico and the United States in May in Veracruz.
Ricardo García Cervantes, vice-president of the Senate and member of the National Action Party (PAN), said that the decision made by the United States on March 4 to prohibit the import of Mexican wild shrimp because Mexico has failed to protect sea turtles according to the standards set by the U.S. Public Law, was discussed with the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Carlos Pascual.
During last week’s meeting between Ambassador Pascual and members of the Political Coordination Board of the Senate, Mexican lawmakers expressed their concern in regards to the ban.
García declared that the Mexican Senate will see if the commercial ban is not an act of protectionism by the United States.
“We will see if this ban of Mexican shrimp is not another protectionist excuse and a way to put pressure on our country because by implementing that law they will significantly damage our fishing industry,” he said.
Furthermore, he said that Ambassador Pascual promised to convey their concerns to the U.S. Congress and to President Obama.
The export of shrimp to the United States represents revenue of over $360 million per year to the fishing industry.
In related news, deputies of the Green Party (PVEM) declared that the U.S. embargo on Mexican shrimps will affect at least 10,000 fishermen and their families in eleven states of the Republic.
The reason why the United States put an embargo on Mexican shrimps is because the Mexican government has not taken adequate actions to protect sea turtles, they said.
For this reason, Deputy Rafael Pacchiano declared that his party will request that the director of the National Commission on Agriculture and Fishing (CONAPESCA), Ramón Corral Avila, and the director of the National Fishing Institute (INAPESCA), Miguel Angel Cisneros, appear before a special Parliamentary Commission.
Both public officials will be asked to present the current national policy on fishing in detail, including the measures undertaken to protect the environment and the actions taken by the federal government to fulfill its commitment regarding the shrimp embargo.
The PVEM deputy said that Sinaloa will be one of the most affected states, as its producers own 60 percent of the shrimp boats on the Pacific coast.
He also said that 39,712 tons of shrimps worth over US$258 million were exported to the United States in 2009, and that more than 300,000 Mexicans depend on the country’s fishing activity and aquaculture.
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