Exporting Shrimps to US: TED Implementation is Precondition for Certification

By Yaboa Ndula, Cameroon Tribune
A workshop to train fishermen on the use of TED held in Douala July 23.

Shrimps live together with marine turtles in water, when shrimp fishermen cast their nets to catch shrimps; they accidentally catch turtles that weren’t their target. Due to this, the world is experiencing a shortage of the endangered turtles. Reason why experts in the United States of America implemented TED (Turtle Excluder Device)

that when mounted on the fisherman trawl net will permit turtles caught to escape without affecting shrimp catch. In order for Cameroonian shrimp fishermen to have certification to permit them export their products to the US markets, they have to implement the use of TED.

Joseph A. Fette, Environmental officer at United States Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International and Scientific Affairs said implementing TED will save marine turtle from extinction, save the biodiversity, increase shrimp catch and as well have access to the US market. Since 1973, he went on, the US amended the protection of sea turtle law since they are endangered and can be extinct. Several countries around the world including Gabon and Nigeria have requested to be part of the programme to obtain certification to export shrimps to the US.

The Technical Adviser N°1 in the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr, Meke Soung Pierre Nolasque who presided over the opening said Cameroon formerly rely on sanitary requirements for the exportation of fishery products to the European Union that was suspended in 2006. “Today putting in environmental requirements with the use of TED,” he said, “will not only enable fishery industries to obtain foreign currency but will also preserve our marine turtle that is near extinction.” Imoulanok Louis Martin, a shrimp catcher expressed his willingness to take advantage of the situation to gain access to the US market, hoped that implementing TED will increase their catch.