THAILAND: USA BANS IMPORT OF SHRIMPS

English/Nat The sea turtle is at the centre of a bitter trade wrangle between the U-S-A and Asian countries. America is banning the import of shrimps from countries whose ships use nets which harm the turtles. Asian countries say it's economic protectionism and want the embargo lifted. It may be a turning point for the once plentiful - but now endangered - sea turtle. Conservationists think that fewer than two hundred remain in Thailand's Andaman Sea after years of hunting and more recent problems. The chief culprit - say the environmentalists - are shrimp nets. As well as catching shrimps, they trap turtles which can't escape, and drown. So from Wednesday - following legal action from an environmental group - the U-S government will ban the import of shrimp from those countries which do not take special measures to protect turtles. The are demanding that fishermen fit their nets with special trapdoors for turtles. Until they do, America says it will shun shrimp imports. Fifty six countries are black listed - among them, the high volume exporters of South East Asia. Only Indonesia has met the requirements, and so is exempt. The United States is a huge market - worth (b) billions of dollars. The affected Asian nations claim the ban is an unfair trade restriction. As a Thai fishery officer explained, their laws on turtles are already strict. SOUNDBITE: (Thai) \"The U-S courts say we catch shrimps with trawlers that harm turtles, but in Thailand our laws forbid anyone to catch them. If they do, they have to throw them back immediately.\" SUPER CAPTION: Prapan Tharnbupphar, Fishery Officer It's a view largely shared by a leading marine biologist, who studies turtles on the Thai island of Phuket. SOUNDBITE: (Thai) \"Aside from public awareness of sea turtles, the laws are already there. What we have to do is enforce those laws to protect the turtles.\" SUPER CAPTION: Supot Chanatarapornsyl, Marine Biologist Thailand's taking the lead in opposing the ban on behalf of its Asian neighbours. It's better off than most of them because 90 per cent of its shrimps are cultivated - raised as larvae in hatcheries then matured in huge pools on vast farms. These shrimps are therefore exempt from the ban. But even so, Thailand stands to lose 80 (m) million U-S dollars in exports of wild shrimps to America. Whatever happens to the exporters, fishermen across Asia will also feel the effect. In the southern Thai port of Songkhla, people are worried about their livelihood. They've been told a trapdoor - called a turtle excluder device - will cost 200 U-S dollars. SOUNDBITE: (Thai) \"We don't have that equipment. Investing in it is impossible. It costs too much. I can't afford it with what I catch. All I have is a compass and a radio.\" SUPER CAPTION: Sak Phorn, Thai Fisherman The ASEAN countries are appealing to the United States to reconsider their place on the blacklist. They're also filing petitions with the World Trade Organisation. In the meantime, exporters are being urged to look for new markets. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/faa4af6ef098d3eb15193a2fbca223ce Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork