The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today announced its determinations in its final phase antidumping investigation concerning certain frozen or canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from Brazil, China, Ecuador, India, Thailand, and Vietnam that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun and Commissioners Marcia E. Miller, Jennifer A. Hillman, and Daniel R. Pearson found two like products in these investigations: canned warmwater shrimp and prawns and certain non-canned warmwater shrimp and prawns. They made affirmative determinations with respect to certain non-canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from all six countries, finding that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports of these products. With respect to canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from China, Thailand, and Vietnam, they made negative determinations. They found that imports of canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from Brazil, Ecuador, and India were negligible. (Imports are generally deemed "negligible" if they accounted for less than 3 percent of all such merchandise imported into the United States within the most recent 12-month period for which data are available preceding the filing of the petition.)

Chairman Stephen Koplan and Commissioner Charlotte R. Lane found one like product and voted in the affirmative with respect to all countries.

The Commission, citing concerns about the possible impact of the recent tsunami on the shrimping industries of Thailand and India, announced that it will collect information and invites submissions on whether the tsunami's impact on the affected countries' industries warrants the Commission self-initiating a changed circumstances review. The changed circumstances provision allows the Commission to address situations in which changed circumstances warrant review of an injury determination that has culminated in the issuance of an antidumping order.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of certain non-canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from Brazil, China, Ecuador, India, Thailand, and Vietnam. As a result of the Commission's negative determinations, no orders will be issued on imports of canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from China, Thailand and Vietnam. As a result of the Commission's negligibility findings concerning imports of canned warmwater shrimp and prawns from Brazil, Ecuador, and India, those investigations will end.

The Commerce Department previously made an affirmative critical circumstances determination with regard to certain imports from China. Therefore, Commissioners who made an affirmative injury determination today are required to determine whether the imports are likely to undermine seriously the remedial effect of the antidumping order Commerce will issue. All six Commissioners made negative determinations with regard to critical circumstances in this investigation.

The Commission's public report Certain Frozen or Canned Warmwater Shrimp and Prawns from Brazil, China, Ecuador, India, Thailand, and Vietnam (Investigation Nos. 731-TA-1063-1068 (Final), USITC Publication 3748, January 2005) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after February 11, 2005, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202- 205-2104.

Product Description: For purposes of these investigations, the products covered are certain warmwater shrimps and prawns, whether frozen or canned, wild-caught (ocean harvested) or farm-raised (produced by aquaculture), head-on or head-off, shell-on or peeled, tail-on or tail-off, deveined or not deveined, cooked or raw, or otherwise processed in frozen or canned form. The products classified above may be from any species of warmwater shrimp and prawns, which are generally classified in, but not limited to, the Penaeidae family. The predominant end-use for warmwater shrimp and prawns is human consumption. The merchandise subject to this investigation is provided for in subheadings 0306.13.00.03, 0306.13.00.06, 0306.13.00.09, 0306.13.00.12, 0306.13.00.15, 0306.13.00.18, 0306.13.00.21, 0306.13.00.24, 0306.13.00.27, 0306.13.00.40, 1605.20.10.10, 1605.20.10.30, and 1605.20.10.40 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.

Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Final antidumping.
2. Petitioners: Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Action Committee
3. Investigation instituted by USITC: December 31, 2003.
4. Hearing: December 1, 2004.
5. USITC vote: January 6, 2005.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce: no later than January 21, 2005.

U.S. Industry:
1. Number of firms (processors) in 2003: 36.
2. Production during 2003: approximately 170 million pounds.
3. Employment of production and related workers (processors): approximately 2,000.
4. U.S. apparent consumption during 2003: 1.21 billion pounds.
5. Ratio of quantity of total imports to U.S. apparent consumption during 2003: 88 percent.

U.S. Imports:
1. Quantity of subject imports during 2003: approximately 800 million pounds.
2. Value of subject imports during 2003: approximately $2.8 billion. [note corrected figure]