Department of State May 21, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On May 1, 2008, the Department of State certified, pursuant to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 (``Section 609''), that 16 nations have adopted programs to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles in their shrimp fisheries comparable to the program in effect in the United States. The Department also certified that the fishing environments in 24 other countries and one economy, Hong Kong, do not pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles protected under Section 609. Shrimp imports from any nation not certified were prohibited effective May 1, 2008 pursuant to Section 609.