| At the request of Malaysia, World Trade | | | | In 1987, America issued Endangered Species |
| Organization (WTO) set up an expert panel to discuss | | | | Protection Law, requesting those shrimpers in the |
| an America’s measure to protect sea turtle. | | | | areas with high mortality rate of sea turtle to use |
| The expert panel of WTO has made a decision | | | | turtle-driven device or to set time limit on their fishing |
| that allow America implement its law to prevent sea | | | | operation. There are more than ten countries that |
| turtle from being killed by shrimp net. According to this | | | | request their shrimp boat to install this turtle-driven |
| rule, if a shrimp boat can harm the existence of those | | | | device. |
| endangered sea turtles, America can refuse to import | | | | In 1996, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Pakistan lodged |
| shrimp product captured by these boats. | | | | a complaint to WTO. They assumed that the limits |
| All of the sea turtles living in American water area | | | | which America imposed on shrimp’s import have |
| are regarded as endangered species. When shrimp | | | | constituted an unfair trade barrier. WTO agreed with |
| nets are dragged underwater to capture shrimps, they | | | | the view of these countries, and it requested America |
| can also catch sea turtles and tons of other fishes. If a | | | | to change its implementing method for the act of sea |
| sea turtle can’t get out of the shrimp nets, it will die. | | | | turtle. To comply with WTO requirement, America |
| To effectively prevent the death of sea turtle, a metal | | | | agreed to import shrimp product from the countries |
| mesh will be stitched on the shrimp net. The metal | | | | that didn’t request to install this turtle-driven device, |
| mesh is called turtle-driven device, it can induce sea | | | | but the only condition is that exporting party must |
| turtle to pass through a mesh while other shrimps will | | | | testify that those shrimps were caught by the fishing |
| go to the rear end of shrimp net through this metal | | | | boats equipped with turtle-driven device. |
| mesh. | | | | |