IELP Goes to The Hague to Protect Endangered Species

June 11, 2007

The Hague, Netherlands

Hello from The Hague. After a busy but rejuvenating weekend, we began our second week of deliberations at the Conference of the Parties (CoP) today.

First thing in the morning Natasha and Paula headed off to work on shark issues while Jason and I worked on elephants and the use of listed species in traditional medicine. In Committee I, several listing proposals were withdrawn by their proponents, including the Cardinal fish and the Spiny Lobster. The proposal to list the European Eel passed with overwhelming support and the Sawfish was added to Appendix II with an annotation allowing for limited trade in live specimen. We IELP folks would have liked to have seen greater protection, but some protection is better than none.

Committee II moved at an expedited pace today, meaning that it voted on more than one document! Disposal of illegally confiscated specimens was a personal highlight. In what was almost a consensus, the Parties rejected Indonesia's proposal to direct the Standing Committee to review RC 9.10 (Rev. CoP13) which allows importing countries to sell confiscated dead specimens and retain the profits. In its proposal, Indonesia suggested that the Standing Committee amend this document to re-direct profits from such sales back to the country of origin or export. Many Parties commented on how re-directing profits from the sale of confiscated specimens to the country of origin would not provide an incentive for exporting countries to enforce wildlife trade laws and create a huge loophole allowing for illegal wildlife trade. Furthermore, Indonesia's proposal was based on the assumption that confiscated specimens are the property of the exporting country, which is inconsistent with many Parties' approaches to wildlife ownership. Because the proposal was not generally applicable to all Parties, implementation would have been difficult.

Throughout the day behind the scenes negotiations continued among the range states of the African elephant regarding the three proposals before the Parties. The African states are sharply divided on the issue of trade in ivory. For many years the Parties have disagreed as to whether trade of government stockpiled ivory seized from poachers and gathered after the death of elephants from natural causes can help fund conservation measures or whether such sales increase the demand and provide an avenue for illegal trade, thereby encouraging poaching. In all likelihood, either the three African elephant proposals will be discussed and voted on in turn, or some sort of compromise proposal drafted by the range states will be submitted to the Parties for deliberation tomorrow in Committee I. Either way, Committee I will be an exciting place tomorrow.

The day ended with a reception for tigers. An inspiring and heartfelt presentation illustrated the urgent need to end tiger trade. Many NGO's were present but unfortunately, a competing reception kept many delegates away. Sometimes it’s just all about politics!

Links

CITES Secretariat
Species Survival Network