The Mexican government said on Thursday it would appeal a ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) which stated the United States was not discriminating against Mexican tuna products.
"This ruling is not definitive, as it will be appealed by our country," said the Mexican Economy Ministry in a statement.
The WTO stated that the United States was no longer discriminating against Mexican products, after modifying its trade rules in March 2016.
In October 2008, Mexico began proceedings at the WTO, alleging that U.S. labelling rules for "dolphin-safe" tuna had impeded the commercialization of Mexican products.
The Economy Ministry said that the Mexican fishing fleet abides by the highest international standards to protect dolphins.
"Mexico does not agree with the judicial reasoning of the WTO ruling, and... our country will appeal this ruling," it wrote, adding that it would "defend the interests of the national tuna industry in global markets."
The dispute over tuna actually dates back to 1990, when Washington began a ban on Mexican tuna that lasted a decade, saying that its neighbor's fishing methods did not meet environmental protection standards.
While the United States did eventually lift the embargo, it maintained a restriction on Mexican products, unless they bore a dolphin-safe label.
According to Mexican government data, the country is the third-largest global producer of tuna, with over 113,809 tons caught in 2016.