Gulf Coast Associations in USA feud over shrimp compensation.

Two shrimp industry trade groups in the United States are fighting over which can get the best deal for beleaguered domestic shrimpers in damages assessed against foreign shrimp exporters.

The turf war pits the Louisiana Shrimp Association against the Southern Shrimp Alliance, an eight-state consortium of shrimp processors and fishermen, including some in Louisiana. Meanwhile, the USA shrimp industry continues to be crippled by the after-effects Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

In early 2005, before the hurricanes, the International Trade Commission voted to put anti-dumping tariffs on hundreds of South American, Indian and Far East seafood exporters. Money from the punitive tariffs was supposed to go to those harmed by the imports, namely Gulf Coast shrimp fishermen.

The Louisiana group has reportedly accused the eight-state alliance of taking payoffs from foreign companies, and the alliance has counter charged that the association is slowing down payments to shrimpers out of spite. Complicating matters is that applying for and receiving compensation is a long and cumbersome process.

"It's a fundamental mistrust, to the point where they're not even communicating," said John Roussel, assistant secretary for fisheries at the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. "Even prior to the storms, the shrimp industry was struggling with the issue of depressed shrimp prices, and the storms have certainly exasperated their struggles."

Getting money collected from tariffs into the hands of shrimpers and processors is a complex process involving numerous government agencies. The companies pay the duties at the dock, and at the end of the year, the US Customs and Border Protection agency distributes the money to those who signed the original anti-dumping petition with the International Trade Commission.

It's not a direct payout; fishermen and processors are reimbursed based on expense reports they file with the agency. It was the alliance that filed the petition for tariffs in the first place back in 2003, and it has since paid the lion's share of legal fees, using its own money and contributions from the state governments it represents.

The tariff rates were set in early 2005, but each year domestic or foreign parties can ask the Commerce Department to study the rates and determine whether they should be altered. The reviews can be lengthy--and can delay or prevent money from being distributed.

The Louisiana group has asked the Commerce Department to review rates for hundreds of foreign companies, potentially slowing the reimbursement to the fishermen and processors. But it insists it's just trying to get the most for its members. "If we think we could get $20,000 by taking the check in December or $30,000 by taking it in July, then we'll go back to our members and see what they want to do," said spokesman Dean Blanchard.