CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was adopted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of IUCN members.

On 3 March 1973 CITES was signed at a meeting of representatives of 80 countries in Washington, D.C., United States of America and it entered in force on 1 July 1975. CITES is an international and worldwide agreement between governments and is joined by countries voluntarily. Although it is legally binding on the Parties involved, it does not replace national laws. Each party has to adapt its own legislation to implement CITES.

International wildlife trade is worth billions of dollars annually and includes hundreds of millions of specimens. To avoid overexploitation, it is recognized that international co-operation is needed. The aim of CITES is not as to abolish international trade in flora and fauna completely but works with the sole purpose of regulating the trade, to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Since it only concentrates on international trade it does not concern any local affairs with respect to the trade of animal and plant species. Each joined Party designates at least one Management Authority (MA) that administers a licensing system. That MA is advised by at least one Scientific Authority (SA) that advises them on the status of the species and the effects of trade on the status. This control is embodied by three appendices (I, II and III). Species in these appendices are subjected to different degrees of control, as described at the website: http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/how.shtml; and quoted below:

Appendix 1: species threatened with extinction.

• Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances An import permit issued by the Management Authority of the State of import is required. This may be issued only if the specimen is not to be used for primarily commercial purposes and if the import will be for purposes that are not detrimental to the survival of the species. In the case of a live animal or plant, the Scientific Authority must be satisfied that the proposed recipient is suitably equipped to house and care for it.
• An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the state of export or re-export is also required. An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained; the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species; and an import permit has already been issued.
• A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and, in the case of a live animal or plant, if an import permit has been issued. In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.

Appendix II: species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.

• An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State of export or re-export is required. An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and if the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species.
• A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the Convention. In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.
• No import permit is needed unless required by national law.

Appendix III: species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.

• In the case of trade from a State that included the species in Appendix III, an export permit issued by the Management Authority of that State is required. This may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and, in the case of a live animal or plant, if it will be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.
• In the case of export from any other State, a certificate of origin issued by its Management Authority is required.
• In the case of re-export, a re-export certificate issued by the State of re-export is required.
• In its Article VII, the Convention allows or requires Parties to make certain exceptions to the general principles described above.

For more detailed information, see the WebPages of the Convention: www.cites.org.

CITES is relevant for the Large Herbivore Foundation in particular regarding species that are threatened by international trade. This concerns two species in particular; the Saiga Antelope, and the Musk Deer. The Saiga Antelope suffers from heavy poaching, mainly for meat and horns that is used for Chinese traditional medicinal purposes.

The second example, the Musk Deer, still suffers from a steady decline in Mongolia, mainly due to poverty induced poaching for Musk. Strict international control in the trade of musk is still needed to secure the survival of this species.

The trophy hunting business is also a point of interest for both the LHF and CITES. Several species of the foundation are wanted trophy species and CITES can help to control this business. Because of the economic potential of trophy hunting, it should be used as a way to promote conservation. In this respect, CITES should be presented as a control measure and not as an anti-hunt Convention. (Cromsigt, 2000)