India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Thailand had approached the WTO dispute settlement Body (DSB) to set up a panel to examine what they considered America's WTO-inconsistent law on their shrimp exports. The panel gave its ruling in their favour after which the US went appealed to the Appellate Body.

The Appellate Body decided that the DSB should request Washington to bring its measures in conformity with WTO regulations. Thereafter, America revised its guidelines on implementing Section 609 of Public Law that placed a ban on shrimp imports from May 1, 1996.The Law required the use of turtle excluder devices in shrimp trawls, in order to prevent incidental catch of sea turtles. Further it provided that all shrimp and shrimp products entering the US, carry a declaration that they were harvested under conditions that did not adversely affect the sea turtles. Following the ban, the Government had authorised the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) to issue a declaration that shrimps being exported to the US had been sourced from aquaculture or harvested by using non-mechanical or traditional means.

The Centre is continuing with such a declaration in order to facilitate shrimp exports. India's marine exports valued at $1,011 million in 1995-96 rose to $1,129 million in 1996-97 and further to $1,207 million in 1997-98. They, however, dropped to $1,038 million in 1998-99, but increased to $1,180 million in 1999-2000. In the first half of 2000-01 the exports were valued at $626 million. The Centre has taken a number of steps to boost marine exports, including shrimps. These include an interest subsidy scheme on loans availed by units, from financial institutions/banks for modernisation. Another scheme has been introduced to facilitate acquistion of machinery/equipment to increase production of value-added items.