US embassy cable - 04ABUJA1678

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(U) UPDATE ON USE OF TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES

Identifier: 04ABUJA1678
Wikileaks: View 04ABUJA1678 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abuja
Created: 2004-09-30 11:40:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: EFIS ETRD NI OES
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS ABUJA 001678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR 
 
USDOC FOR NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIS, ETRD, NI, OES 
SUBJECT: (U) UPDATE ON USE OF TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES 
 
REF: STATE 168520 
 
1. (U) Action requested, paras five and six. 
 
2. (U) On September 29 Emboffs met with G. N. Shimang, 
Director of Fisheries at Nigeria's Ministry of Agriculture, 
to discuss an aide memoire and other documentation on 
turtle excluder devices (TEDs) that supported an Embassy 
demarche to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 
21. Copies of these documents were sent to Shimang that 
day. 
 
3. (U) Shimang confirmed that an amended TED Regulation 
entitled " Use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) and Any 
Other Approved Bye Catch Excluder Device (BRD) On Shrimp 
Trawl Nets, Regulation 2004" has been sent to the National 
Assembly.  He expects quick enactment of the bill. We sent 
this document to James Story (DOS/OES) as a pdf document 
September 30. 
 
4. (U) Shimang confirmed that the proposed dates of January 
23-28, 2005 for the conduct of an inspection of Nigerian 
shrimp fishing practices and procedures is suitable and he 
welcomes the visit. 
 
5. (U) Meanwhile, Shimang requests three copies of the 
videotape mentioned as a talking point in reftel to share 
with colleagues in Abuja and in Lagos, and at the Nigerian 
Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR). 
Please send the videotapes c/o Joseph Gregoire, Economic 
Counselor, 8320 Abuja PL, Dulles, VA 20189-8320. 
 
6. (U) Shimang also asked that the U.S. National Marine 
Fisheries Services help the NIOMR conduct a study on turtle 
species, on their breeding grounds and on populations off 
Nigeria's coast. (Comment.  Please let us know whether the 
USG provides such assistance.  If yes, could such a project 
be initiated in Nigeria?  End comment.) Shimang also 
expressed interest in on-site TED training for enforcement 
and industry personnel.  (Comment. Please let us know 
whether the USG might arrange for such training in Nigeria. 
End comment.) 
 
7. (U) Shimang confirmed, too, that Atlantic Shrimpers 
Limited, a Nigerian fishing firm that had participated in 
the International Boston Seafood Show and the West Coast 
Seafood Show over the past ten years, had recently 
conducted a study and reported catching few turtles while 
fishing for shrimp off Nigeria's shore. Shimang's office 
did not accept Atlantic Shrimpers' findings because no 
official from his Directorate or NIOMR or of another 
recognized research institute was aboard the company's 
vessels when it conducted the study. 
 
CAMPBELL 

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