International Law Affecting Coastal Shrimp Fishing Threats

Unsustainable fishing practices and the migratory nature of sea turtles make their protection difficult and that causes the failure of International environmental law to protect them. Shrimp fishing in particular is a significant threat to sea turtles .Despite years of concern for sea turtles and the threats to them no rule of national law and no single international environmental agreement are capable of effectively protecting sea turtles. Certain treaties or international agreements appear to provide general textual support for such conservation, but there is still a lack of clear implementation and enforcement of the called-for measures. Despite the lack of protection on the international level, sea turtles have been protected through domestic environmental laws such as the US Endangered Species Act. Section 609 requires countries exporting shrimp to the US to equip their trawlers with Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs). TED requirement models can be integrated to form an effective legal framework on the international level and .a mechanism that is acceptable to every country.

Autorentext

Dr Lalaina Rakotoson is the founder and Team Leader for theDevelopment and Environmental Law Center (DELC) Madagascar. Shegot her law degrees in Madagascar, a Master of Studies inEnvironmental Law from Vermont Law School, USA, and a Doctorate in International Legal Studies from Golden Gate University of SanFrancisco, USA.