Gulf Shrimp Protections Added in Trade Bills Signed by Obama in Futile Quest to Reduce Imports
SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton - February 12, 2016
The domestic shrimp industry's 'Protect Act' was signed by President Obama yesterday, as it was incorporated into a package of trade measures, including the industry supported Port State Act to crack down on IUU Fishing.
However, the "Preventing Recurring Trade Evasion and Circumvention Act' is another bill sponsored by the Gulf domestic shrimp industry aimed at increasing costs for imported shrimp.
The bill creates a dedicated unit within customs to focus and investigate trade evasions, including an agency contact for private complaints about non-duty compliance. The bill also gives the Dept. of Commerce more power to ignore evidence from foreign importers about costs in anti-dumping and counterveiling duty actions. It widens the use of 'adverse inference', where the department accepts without investigation the worst cost and dumping allegations made against foreign exporters.
Louisiana legislators have jumped on the change in shrimp prices from 2014 to 2015...
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