Wednesday was the final day for the two committees to
the 12th Conference of the Parties (COP12) to CITES to complete
discussions on species proposals, resolutions, and other documents.
As such, committee delegates made a host of decisions, including one
to deny Appendix II protections to basking sharks and another to
protect the big-leaf mahogany tree, a prime target of loggers.
The last two days of COP12 in Santiago, Chile, will be devoted to
the plenary sessions, in which all the delegates will meet and
approve or re-vote the issues decided in the separate committee
meetings. During these two days, delegates will make the final
decisions on many important proposals, including those on African
elephants, minke and Bryde's whales, Black Sea bottlenose dolphins,
and whale sharks.
Bad News for Basking Sharks—for Now
The United Kingdom's proposal to include the basking shark in
Appendix II was narrowly defeated by two votes, with 72 in favor, 38
against, and two abstentions. Noting the closeness of the vote,
Nicola Beynon of Humane Society International expressed hope that
the United Kingdom would bring the proposal up for a re-vote in the
plenary sessions. "Now is the time to act," Beynon concluded.
There was some good news for sharks: An Australian draft
resolution on conservation and management of sharks was adopted—over
the protests of Japan, Norway, and Iceland. The resolution gives
CITES a role in ensuring that Parties implement the U.N. Food and
Agriculture Organization's International Plan of Action for the
Conservation and Management of Sharks.
Sea Bass: No Go; Seahorse: Yes
Australia withdrew its proposal to list the Patagonian toothfish
(also known as Chilean sea bass) on Appendix II after it became
clear there wasn't enough support among CITES Parties to guarantee a
victory. But, in return, Committee I agreed to adopt a resolution on
cooperation between CITES and the Commission for the Conservation of
Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). CCAMLR manages the
toothfish fishery, including the setting of catch quotas.
Committee I also resoundingly passed the United States's proposal
to list seahorses on Appendix II by a vote of 75 in favor, 24
against, and 19 abstentions. Japan, China, Malaysia, and Russia
opposed the proposal; New Zealand, Kenya, the European Union, Peru,
and Fiji supported it. The committee also passed a resolution on the
conservation of seahorses.
Conservationists applauded the seahorse votes, citing the serious
threats to the species. "International trade to the traditional
markets for medicines and curios, along with the global aquaria
trade, are the main drivers for the demand in this species," said
Beynon. "We welcome the wise, precautionary decision by CITES to
regulate the trade in seahorses and help ensure the species's
long-term viability."
Big-Leaf Mahogany: A Victory for CITES Itself
Nicaragua and Guatemala's controversial proposal to list big-leaf
mahogany on Appendix II was narrowly approved in a secret ballot
vote of 66 in favor, 30 against, and 14 abstentions. The proposal
required a two-thirds majority of all voters present.
With only a two-vote margin of victory, the proposal is likely to
be brought up for a re-vote in plenary. Still, environmentalists
were elated.
"Today's vote is not just a victory for mahogany," said Carroll
Muffett of Defenders of Wildlife. "It is a victory for tropical
forests, the indigenous peoples of Amazonia, and for CITES itself.
Illegal and unsustainable logging is rampant across mahogany's
range. This logging is a major driver of tropical forest loss.
Individual trees are so valuable that roads are often cut through
virgin forest to fell and extract a single specimen. By bringing
mahogany exploitation under control, CITES rules will help slow the
pace of deforestation, and help prevent violent intrusions onto
indigenous and protected lands where much of the remaining mahogany
grows."
The Remaining Species Proposals
Committee I also approved proposals to list certain species of
Madagascar chameleons and burrowing frogs on Appendix II, and to
transfer the Madagascar armored chameleon and flat-tailed tortoise
from Appendix II to I. However, the Committee did not approve a
United States proposal to list the humphead wrasse on Appendix II.
The proposal lost by a count of 65 in favor, 42 against, and five
abstentions.
In the last of the animal proposals, Germany withdrew its bid to
list certain species of African swallowtail butterflies on Appendix
II. Committee I also adopted a large number of proposals to list
plant species on the Appendices.
Working Groups and Committee II
After finishing its consideration of species proposals, Committee
I addressed the results of the working groups set up earlier to deal
with technical issues. The committee agreed to retain the current
central CITES Secretariat registration system for all operations
that breed Appendix I species for commercial purposes. In the
process, the committee rejected the CITES Secretariat's attempt to
make it easier to register such operations.
The committee also adopted a much-needed resolution to ensure
that export quotas for Appendix II species have a scientific basis.
Finally, the committee adopted a process that will allow it to
review the criteria by which species are listed on Appendices I and
II until COP13.
On its last day, Committee II considered a large number of
technical and practical issues. The committee retained a resolution
on the trade in bears; adopted documents on the conservation and
trade of big cats—including tigers—and Tibetan antelope; and agreed
to maintain a CITES Bushmeat Working Group. Meanwhile, both Japan
and Mexico withdrew their documents (which basically cancelled one
another out) on the relationship between CITES and the International
Whaling Commission. Russia withdrew its proposal that would have
made it easier to import and export Appendix I animals that were
part of circuses. Finally, the committee rejected a Chilean document
on the establishment of a Marine Species Working Group.
