MALAYSIA/USA: Shrimp turtle row reopens WTO trade dispute

The long running World Trade Organisation shrimp turtle case, pitting the USA against a number of south Asian fish exporting nations, has been reopened, following complaints from Malaysia that the US is still illegally blocking imports.A disputes panel of the WTO had told the Americans to stop banning the import of shrimp on the ethical and conservation grounds that they have been caught in a way that kills endangered marine turtles.But it appears that the US may have failed to implement the ruling.Malaysia has made an official bid to halt "the US's continued restrictions."It has asked them to be the subject of a resurrected disputes panel and the WTO has agreed. Washington has opposed the move, saying that the original panel did not require it to lift the ban, but to modify some details.