Shark passes the test
Only 86 species of fish appear among some 34,000 species listed in Appendices 1 and 2 of CITES. After the bluefin tuna debacle last week, predictions were pessimistic about the fate of the 4 proposals to list sharks in Appendix 2. The porbeagle shark is the only to achieve this protection, which it made by only one vote. CITES doesn’t really have its sea legs. When it comes to addressing international trade in marine species, it delays taking responsibility, and using its toolbox to clean up the market. Japan is opposed to all of the proposals for listing sharks, even reconsidering the principle of control of international trade: “Appendix 2 stimulates the black market and creates a demand for a rare species.”
A fine kettle of fish
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
CITES 2010 – Doha
Press release n°5
Bluefin tuna will not be listed in the CITES appendices, not in appendix 1, not in appendix 2, not in anything at all. Monaco’s proposal was sunk in less than 3 hours following a flurry of objections and the agitated speech of Libya, which asked for the premature closure to the debates while waving a threatening finger at the assembly. The amendments that Spain, on behalf of the member countries of the European Community, had the time to present will not suffice, perhaps even to the contrary. Raising procedural questions, the amendments have had the ability since several days ago to put a number of parties on edge, by highlighting that the European Union is ill-placed to pose as a protector of tuna, when it was so late in promoting serious measures within the specialized convention, ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas). Several speakers argued that while rich countries could compensate their fishermen and pay for exit plans for their fleets, this was not the case for developing countries.
Madagascar, Dynastes satanas, spiny tailed lizard, Kaiser’s spotted newt, coral
News in brief:
Bluefin tuna: The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is not opposed to the listing of bluefin tuna in Appendix 2, and Australia has declared itself favorable to the idea; more to follow…
Polar bear: You can continue to purchase polar bear rugs and purses. The proposal of the United States to list it in Appendix 1 was rejected this morning. The European Union, the largest importer, contributed to this rejection. It was joined by Canada, Norway and Iceland. Polar bears, threatened by pollution in the Arctic, oil spills, ecotourism and the retreating ice shelf, are spending more and more time on land to find food; they are therefore more and more exposed to hunting. This icon of global warming was cut down in Qatar due to roadblocks of haggling and inertia. The European Union, as always talkative, “doesn’t want to isolate the case of the polar bear from an ambitious policy against global warming.”
Madagascar, Dynastes satanas, spiny tailed lizard, Kaiser’s spotted newt, coral
News in brief:
Bluefin tuna: The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is not opposed to the listing of bluefin tuna in Appendix 2, and Australia has declared itself favorable to the idea; more to follow…
The fragrance of rosewood floats over CITES
This morning, the 15th Conference of States at CITES decided by consensus to approve the Brazilian proposal to list Brazilian rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) in Appendix 2. The international trade in rosewood essential oil will be controlled from now in importing and exporting countries. The listing makes a provision for the exclusion of finished products, packaged and ready for sale. Ladies, you do not need a CITES permit to travel with your No5.
Brazilian rosewood is also called pau rosa, its Brazilian name, to avoid confusion with other species from around the world which are also named rosewood because of their color. Pau rosa is exclusively present in the Amazon basin, principally in Brazil and French Guiana. Some populations were counted in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. As the Brazilian proposal emphasizes, the growth of this tree is slow while its exploitation is rapid. The harvesting surpasses its capacities for natural re-growth. All the countries in the region supported Brazil, as well as Mexico and Costa Rica on behalf of 25 Central American and Caribbean countries. Those which were against it didn’t so much as lift a finger.
