Timeline Post Type Description

The Department of Fisheries had started to push TEDs on its own at another port in Peninsular Malaysia, mirroring the work of MRF, Sabah. Fishers were receptive and even came up with a modification to the TED that improved their catches whilst keeping turtles safe. The director-general and MRF submitted the new TED design to…

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific islands Regional office took four government officials to visit the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) while TEDs were being tested on live turtles off the coast of florida. Four fisherman and two officers from the Department of Fisheries Sabah joined the trip.  

With funding from Malaysia’s Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Program (GEF/SGP) MRF conducted trials in a voluntary manner in the Shrimp trawl fisheries in Sandakan. With full support from the Department of fisheries Malaysia and in collaboration with the Sabah Fishing Boat Owners Association. Training outreach by the US to allow other countries to comply with…

Shrimp trawl fisheries were identified as one of the leading causes of sea turtle declines in Malaysia with an estimated 2-3000 turtles killed in shrimp trawl fishing every year in Sabah alone. Despite protection on nesting beaches, egg hatcheies and awareness campaigns, in Malaysia sea turtles continued to face worrying declines. MRF and the Department…

1999-2006

The dispute between the US left many leaders, attorney generals and ministers of trade and industry across South and South East Asia feeling sour. Malaysia no longer had a trading partner in the US and was forced to sell at other markets at lower prices. This mean’t TEDs were not popular and the implementation of a…

Restriction of the importation of Shrimp from any country that did not have in place a sea turtle protection prgramme with comparable effetiveness to the US programme.  India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand requested consultations with the US concerning a ban on importation of shrimp and shrimp products from these complainants imposed by the US under…