Tarpon Springs, FL—The Southern Shrimp Alliance, representing shrimp fishermen and processors from eight states, announced new commitments and issued challenges to U.S. shrimp processors and the Louisiana Shrimp Association as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the U.S. shrimp industry.
Future Settlement Monies
The SSA Executive Committee adopted a resolution regarding the use of any future funds received as a result of agreements to settle trade litigation. The resolution makes clear that SSA will continue to distribute funds received from settlements to further the interest of the domestic shrimp industry in each of the eight shrimp-producing states, with a portion being retained by SSA for its administrative and related expenses.
SSA received financial settlements from 104 foreign shrimp exporters in 2006 and is distributing more than $1,100,000 in this fiscal year to member states. The remaining settlement monies are being used by SSA to enhance the U.S. shrimp industry through a variety of initiatives, such as to defend the antidumping duties, to represent the shrimp industry in fisheries management councils, to enhance marketing of U.S. wild-caught shrimp, and to represent the industry in future years.
Equitable Byrd Amendment Distributions
In recognition that shrimpers have received an insufficient proportion of the funds distributed under the Byrd Amendment, SSA challenged shrimp processors to contribute 60 percent of the funds received under the Byrd Amendment to programs to benefit the shrimpers and to cooperate to seek changes in the law and/or the way the law is administered to achieve a more equitable distribution.
To address concerns about the disparity in the amounts of Byrd Amendment funds received by shrimpers and processors in 2006, SSA persuaded Customs and Border Protection to verify an unprecedented percentage of claims for Byrd funds. SSA has also requested a ruling from Customs to the effect that shrimp inputs are not qualified expenditures under the Byrd Amendment and continues to work with elected officials to address the current law with appropriate legislation.
Second Administrative Reviews
Finally, SSA calls upon the Louisiana Shrimp Association (LSA) to withdraw its pending requests for antidumping administrative review immediately, in order to permit substantial amounts of vitally-needed funds to be distributed to the domestic industry pursuant to the Byrd Amendment this year.
LSA has failed to meet deadlines to provide comment on multiple issues in the second administrative review that could significantly influence whether the final antidumping rates increase or decrease. SSA has posted its recent filings in the second administrative review on its website.
SSA’s public announcements and challenges to the U.S. shrimp industry underscore how SSA continues to act in the best interests of the domestic shrimp industry.
SSA is a non-profit alliance of members of the shrimp industry in eight states committed to preventing the continued deterioration of America’s domestic shrimp industry and to ensuring the industry’s future viability.