The United States has sent a blunt message to Mexican environmental authorities: stop your fishing industry from killing loggerhead sea turtles or face sanctions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) last month issued a “negative certification” to Mexico under a law requiring nations that share endangered species with the U.S. to ensure their fishing regulations meet standards applied in the U.S. NOAA argued that Mexico had done too little to prevent loggerheads from getting caught in fishing nets in the Gulf of Ulloa, off the coast of Baja California Sur. The negative certification has been sent to the White House, which determines the penalty. NOAA officials declined to forecast possible sanctions, but the pertinent regulations allow for steps including a halt on imports of... [Log in to read more]