State Department bumps Thailand off eligible wild shrimp exporters list

State Department bumps Thailand off eligible wild shrimp exporters list    The U.S. State Department has removed Thailand from its list of eligible countries that can export wild shrimp to the United States.
   The department made decision after concerns that Thailand’s shrimping practices harmed endangered sea turtles. Thailand joins Bangladesh, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Venezuela on this list.
   The department said uncertified countries are still eligible to export farm-raised shrimp to the United States.
   On April 30, the department certified 14 countries on the basis that their sea turtle protection programs are comparable to that of the United States. Twenty-four other countries, including Hong Kong, were determined to have fishing environments not dangerous to sea turtles and another 16 countries have shrimping grounds only in cold waters where the risk to sea turtles is negligible, according to the department.
   The United States defeated a challenge to its shrimp-turtle law in the World Trade Organization.