FWS Publishes CITES Notice
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in July published a Federal Register Notice describing proposed resolutions and agenda items that the United States may submit for consideration at the 2010 Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
The fifteenth conference, scheduled for March 13-15 in Doha, Qatar, will address several proposed amendments of special interest to the live animal trade, according to the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (Washington).
Proposed items include the potential addition—or removal—of several dozen animal species from the Appendices that determine the level or type of protection the species are provided (see “Appendices Defined.”)
According to PIJAC, the United States is likely to ask that red and pink coral (Corallium species) be included in Appendix I, which provides the most stringent controls on trade. The United States also is expected to ask that the bobcat (Lynx rufus) be removed from Appendix II, which provides fewer trade restrictions.
Species for which the United States is “undecided” for inclusion in either Appendix include:
- Nautilids (Allonautilus species).
- Freshwater sawfish (Pristis microdon).
- Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias).
- Devil and manta rays (Mobulidae)
- Freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygonidae)
- American eel (Anguilla rostrata)
- Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata)
- Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemnys terrapin)
- Florida soft-shell turtle (Apalone ferox)
- Smooth soft-shell turtle (Apalone mutica)
- Spiny soft-shell turtle (Apalone spinifera)
- Giant leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus giganteus)
The United States also is considering how to proceed on several resolutions and decisions. For example, it is requesting additional information related to the registration and monitoring of Appendix I breeding operations dealing with species bred for commercial purposes.
Comments on species proposals can be mailed to Division of Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 110, Arlington, VA 22203; e-mailed to scientificauthority@fws.gov; or faxed to 703-358-2276.
Comments on resolutions/decisions can be mailed to Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington, VA 22203; e-mailed to cop15@fws.gov; or faxed to 703-358-2298.
The deadline for written comments is Sept. 11. PIJAC requests those submitting comments to FWS send copies to Marshall Meyers at marshall@pijac.org.
To read the entire notice, visit http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-16410.pdf. [September 2009 PET AGE]
Appendices Defined
- Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.
- Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.
- Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.
Source: CITES
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