The WTO panel decision on the US shrimp embargo: Another ruling against USenforcement of species protection in trade

The survival of sea turtles is becoming more and more threatened as a resul t of the nets of the world's shrimping industry. In response to this threat , Congress placed an embargo on imports of shrimp caught without the use of turtle-safe technology. Recently, a World Trade Organization panel held th at the U.S. embargo on shrimp imports violates the General Agreement on Tar iffs and Trade. As a result of this decision, the U.S. may choose to either adhere to ifs shrimp embargo and pay economic penalties, yield to the Worl d Trade Organization and repeal the embargo, or attempt to solve the proble m diplomatically by actively negotiating bilateral or multilateral agreemen ts among the countries involved in its shrimp trade. Regardless of what opt ion is taken, the future of the sea turtle appears grim. Sea turtles migrat e throughout the world and the existence of these creatures cannot be ensur ed without world-wide cooperation.