The Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, clarified that the United States has not imposed a blanket ban on shrimp imports from India, including Kerala. The restrictions are specifically targeted at wild-caught shrimp, primarily to address concerns related to sea turtle conservation.
In a written response to the Lok Sabha, the Minister stated that while wild-caught shrimp exports to the US face limitations, shipments to other countries remain unaffected. To address these concerns, the Indian government, through the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and the Department of Commerce, has actively engaged with US authorities.
The Department of Commerce, in collaboration with MPEDA, has worked closely with the US Department of State and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to resolve the issue. Several versions of the Turtle Excluder Device (TED), developed by the ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), have been tested to meet conservation requirements.
To promote the adoption of TEDs, MPEDA has organized state-level workshops and conducted extensive awareness campaigns among boat owners and fishers at major harbours and landing centres across the country.
The Minister highlighted that the matter has been raised through various bilateral forums, including the India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF) held in New Delhi in January 2024 and its inter-sessional meeting in September 2024. These interventions aim to find a resolution while ensuring compliance with environmental concerns.
Background
The US imposed restrictions on wild-caught shrimp imports from India in 2019, citing the entanglement of protected sea turtles in fishing nets. While the ban remains in effect, Indian authorities continue to work towards addressing these environmental concerns while preserving the export potential of the shrimp industry.
