GOH PROPOSAL FOR SHRIMP RECERTIFICATION

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000583

SIPDIS

GUATEMALA FOR COMATT: DTHOMPSON
STATE FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS SENV ETRD ECON HO
SUBJECT: GOH PROPOSAL FOR SHRIMP RECERTIFICATION

REF: (A) SECSTATE 06760 (B) TEGUCIGALPA 116 (C) SECSTATE
54094


1. (U) Summary and Action Request. On February 19, 2003,
the Honduran Ministry of Agriculture, along with the
Department of Fisheries, sent the Embassy their proposal for
improvement of enforcement of turtle excluder device (TED)
regulations (ref a) following the January 2003 decision to
decertify Honduras, effectively banning the exportation of
wild Honduran shrimp to the U.S. Immediate tasks the GOH
plans to undertake include sanctioning vessels found in
violation of TEDs requirements, reactivation of an agreement
between private, military and government agencies to finance
patrolling and auditing of vessels, canceling fishing
licenses of boats found in violation of fishing regulations,
inspecting all fishing vessels in port during the off-season
prior to issuance of new licenses, and creation of new
fishing laws to give the GOH better legal grounds for
prosecution of boat owners found in violation. The Minister
has requested assistance from the US for training of
officials and fishermen. Department is requested to provide
guidance for a response to this training request. End
Summary.


2. (U) EconOff notified GOH officials in January 2003 of the
failed TEDs inspection and subsequent pending de-
certification from exportation of Honduran commercially
harvested shrimp to the U.S. as a result of their failure to
comply with TEDs requirements (ref b). In response to the
demarche and inspection report (ref a),the Ministry of
Agriculture, along with its Department of Fisheries, have
come up with a plan for improving fishing regulations and
compliance with TEDs requirements. In order to avoid
evasion of the country's fisheries regulations, especially
that part dealing with TEDs devices, the GOH plans on taking
the following steps:

- The GOH is sanctioning and fining the ships that were
found in violation of TEDs with the nets sewn closed in the
amount of L 50,000.00 lempiras (approximately USD 2,900)
each for the vessels Wendy Weather, Admiral, and Carnival V.

- Reactivation of the agreement between the Department
of Fisheries (Digepesca),the National Merchant Marines, the
Honduran Naval Forces, and the Caribbean Association of
Fisheries in order to finance patrols, fishing controls and
auditing of fishing vessels, both aboard the fishing ships
and at the processing plants at the time of off-loading of
their catch.

- Canceling the fishing licenses of the shrimp boats
that fail to correctly install and/or utilize TEDs devices.

- Complete inspections of all shrimp fishing vessels
that will be in port during the off season from February 1,
2003 to July 16, 2003, in order to ensure that all boats
have the required TEDs devices installed prior to issuance
of a fishing license.

- Continue to convene periodic meetings between GOH
officials and representatives of the fishing industry
(APESCA) to establish a guide for better control and
performance of fishing activities.

- Immediate application of Ministerial Agreements for
regulation of acts which infringe on the National Fishing
Law, its regulations and annexes.

- Drafting and adoption of a new Fishing Law and
regulations in order to have a legal instrument that will
permit the GOH to severely sanction shrimp or other fishing
boat owners who are in violation of the law.

- Request assistance from the U.S. Fisheries Service
(through the State Department OES Bureau) for the training
of Honduran inspectors and fishermen in the installation,
manufacturing and maintenance of TEDs devices.


3. (U) Note: EmbOff was approached on a 2/27 trip to Roatan
by several shrimp fishermen asking what the GOH was doing to
rectify Honduras' failure of the TEDs inspection and
subsequent exclusion of importation of captured shrimp.
Both GOH officials and fishermen are aware of the potential
economic impact of the failed inspection and express a
desire to rectify the situation as expeditiously as
possible. End note.

PALMER