Dominica prohibits the import of shrimp products from China

Recently, the Dominican government decided to ban the import of shrimp products from countries such as China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh and Mexico, especially for shrimp products such as frozen shrimp, raw shrimp, semi-processed shrimp, and shrimp cooked food.

The Dominican Ministry of Agriculture revealed that the ban was issued because the International Organization for Agricultural Health reported that an early death syndrome or an acute pandemic necrosis syndrome has been reported in these countries.

Since the high morbidity and mortality of EMS viruses may endanger shrimp farms, these precautions are taken to prevent EMS virus from entering Dominica. The promulgation of the ban referred to the recommendations of the Regional Epidemiological Surveillance Project of the Central American Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Health Organization, and was also supported by the Central American Fisheries Organization and the Central American Consolidated member countries. The Dominican Ministry of Agriculture requested the Dominican Fisheries and Aquatic Industry Council to enforce this ban.

The ban does not include other countries such as the United States that hold shrimp source registration certificates and health guarantee certificates because the certification of these countries can ensure that shrimp products do not carry EMS virus.