PANAMA CITY – Panama received its annual certification to continue exporting shrimp to the United States, thanks to the country’s compliance with laws protecting endangered sea turtles, the Panamanian Maritime Authority said Tuesday.
The Maritime Authority said in a statement that the U.S. Congress certified “the faithful use of the Turtle Excluder Device during the shrimp fishing season,” as mandated by legislation here in 2005.
The Turtle Excluder Device, or TED, was created to reduce the impact of shrimp fishing on sea turtle populations.
Panama’s shrimp exports totaled $70.4 million in 2005, with 80% going to the United States.
