International Trade v. Environmental Protection: The Case of the U.S. Embargo on Mexican Tuna
Author(s)
Black, Dorothy J.
Abstract
The 1991 US embargo on Mexican tuna illustrates the conflict and resolution between national environmental law and international commercial law. The US imposed the embargo under the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, to help save dolphins killed by Mexican tuna fishing practices. Mexico appealed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and won. One solution to the conflict is the use of ‘dolphin safe’ labels of tuna can to enlist the power of consumer choice as an incentive to the tuna industry.
