Bird-nest Soup & the Politics of CITES

Transcription

1 Bird-nest Soup & the Politics of CITES Dr Giam Choo Hoo

2 What is CITES and how its works Where has CITES gone wrong The unintended consequence of the path it has

3 CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora An international agreement to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival

4 Founded member States (called Parties)

5 Appendix I species are those threatened with extinction All trade is banned Appendix II species are those not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so unless trade is controlled Appendix III species are endangered in one country, and that country needs assistance in controlling their trade.

6 Species? A species is defined widely An ivory carving comes under the control as per elephants A watch-strap from a python skin as per pythons

7 C.O.P COP - Conference of the Parties (Countries) Decisions made whether endangered or not-endangered Meets every two and half years.

8 Committees Animals Committee/ Plants Committee Technical committees looking after animals and plants respectively Committees members are experts responsible for providing scientific and technical advice Committees influential as their recommendations are deciding factors at COP s

9 CITES and International Trade CITES is about international trade in wildlife A species should only be listed in CITES if it is endangered and in international trade

10 Importing and Exporting an Appendix II wildlife Appendix II species are those not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so unless trade is controlled

11 Example: Crocodiles All crocodiles are endangered; some in Appendix I and others in Appendix II Even if they are endangered, CITES encourages trade of Appendix II crocodiles

12 Therefore you can buy endangered crocodile - Wrist-watch bands Belts in Switzerland, Germany, Singapore,...

13 How it is done An export permit shall only be granted when cleared by a Scientific Authority of the exporting country a Management Authority of the exporting country

14 Every country has a Management Authority which issues import and export permits to ensure the rules of CITES are complied with

15 A separate and independent Scientific Authority comprising scientific experts which decides whether the species and the number to be exported are not overharvested

16 COP Bangkok 2-14 October 2004 COP - Conference of the Parties There were 50 proposals to put species on the endangered list

17 (a) Elephants and Ivory (b) Whales (c) Sharks (d) Dolphins (e) Cockatoos (f) Ramin (g) (Edible bird-nest)

18 Elephants and Ivory - The African elephant is in Appendix I

19 Southern African countries look after their elephants very well Overpopulation Expanding populations encroach on to farmland. A menace to peasant farmers

20 In Namibia Namibia previously received approval to sell their ivory Namibia broadened its request to include leather, hair goods, and worked ivory products eg ekipas Namibia adopts the policy of rewarding its indigenous people for cooperation in elephant conservation

21 Map of Namibia, Africa

22 Supported by Bolivia, Botswana, Iceland, Japan, Qatar, Zambia and Zimbabwe Opposed by Ghana, India, Israel, Kenya, Mali, the 25 EU States, Senegal, Togo and IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), an NGO

23 Japan and The Minke Whales

24 Whales - Japan proposed to downgrade Minke whales in the Okhotsk Sea, the north-east Atlantic, and the north Atlantic from Appendix I to Appendix II Appendix II species are those not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so unless trade is controlled

25 Japan cited support by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Scientific Committee and North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO) Japan s proposal also supported by Greenland and Norway Opposed by 25 EU and other countries

26 Sharks and Shark-fins - Great White shark (of Jaws notoriety) proposed to be put in Appendix II

27 Great White Shark.. Objection to listing - Great White shark is hardly traded The little trade not the result of targeted catch No trade in their fins - too tough to be eaten Only trade in a very small number of jaws and teeth

28 Opposition China, Japan, ASEAN, Qatar, Norway, Saint Lucia and fisheries countries against the proposal Marine fisheries control should lie with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) and regional fisheries organizations

29 Support Garnered 25 EU countries support listing Thailand broke rank with ASEAN and supported the proposal but was concerned that difficulties of identification could hamper the (other) legitimate shark trade.

30 Irrawaddy dolphin Thailand proposed its transfer from Appendix II to Appendix I

31 The primary threat to Irrawaddy dolphins is Entanglement in gillnets. Electric fishing using high-voltage probes to indiscriminately kill or stun fish, Gold mining operations - very noisy, which may interfere with the ability of dolphins to survive

32 Entanglement in gillnets. During , 16 deaths were recorded in the Mahakam River (10 dolphins from gillnet entanglement, three probably from vessel strikes, and three deliberately killed for unknown reasons. From December 1990 to May 1996, at least 23 dolphins were reported accidentally killed in the Mekong River near the Laos/Cambodia border, 12 from entanglement in gillnets and most of the others apparently from the effects of explosives used for blast fishing. In the Sekong River, one dolphin died from gillnet entanglement in August 1993 and another was reported killed in a bamboo fishing trap. In Cambodia, between January 2001 and May 2003, Beasley et al. examined 17 dolphin carcasses and concluded that at least seven of the animals had died from gillnet entanglement. Fourteen more carcasses have been collected since May 2003, six of the deaths having resulted from gillnet entanglement. Beasley et al. (2002) listed 28 records of dolphins that stranded in Songhkla Lake between January 1990 and April At least 13 of them were judged to have died from net entanglement, based upon the presence of net scars on the carcass or the reports of local fishermen (S. Choorak, pers. comm.).

33 Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo Indonesia proposal - transfer from Appendix II to Appendix I

34 The problem Habitat loss Illegal domestic capture and sale in Indonesia Cockatoos are kept as pets in Indonesia

35 Flora Species Ramin - Indonesia wanted Gonystylus spp included in Appendix II Timber popular as decorative cabinet timber and furniture Categorized as vulnerable because of heavy logging and habitat destruction

36 Birds-nest Soup

37 What s s in it? Collocallia swiftlets used in bird-nest soup Found only in South-east Asia, and no where else in the world Bulk of bird-nests are produced in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand Most are farmed

38 Appendix II listing proposal? 1994 CITES meeting - Italy proposed an Appendix II listing An ignorant proposal

39 Elephants and Ivory: Results The debate over ivory and ekipas is to overcome the unintended consequence of CITES

40 Whales and Japan: Results The Minke whale proposal was rejected, with 55 votes in favour, 67 against and 14 abstentions It is not as one-sided as painted by the western press

41 Japan argues that whales are not entirely benign They eat five times the world fish catch They compete with mankind for fish

42 Sharks & Shark-fin Soup: Result The debate on Great White shark is viewed as part of an overalll campaign to eventually stop the consumption of sharkfin soup Hinders non-endangered sharkfin trade

43 COP in Kenya 2000 UK, US and Australia proposed three large sharks as endangered, out of over 400 sharks species. The meeting rejected all three proposals

44 Since then, CITES has put three sharks on Appendix II, not Appendix I This means that all sharks and shark-fins can be imported and sold

45 Many sharks are by-catch of fish caught in the nets of fishermen Fishermen are the millions found along the coast of India, Madagascar, Africa, Indonesia (eg Lombok, Sulawesi), the Caribbean and the Pacific

46 Fins fetch a high price They do not to be kept in refrigeration by the fishermen Only need to be sundried on the beach, and kept in a simple storeroom

47 There is a sustained campaign to stop the consumption of shark-fins soup None that I know of for caviar (sturgeons) which is more endangered (in App I and II)

48 The live-finning of sharks is deplorable Action taken against the practice But most of fins consumed do not come from live-finning

49 ASEAN and many developing countries are against sharks listing Argue that shark management should remain with FAO (UN Food & Agriculture Organisation)

50 Irrawady dolphin: Result Appendix II listing sufficient to stop the trade in dolphin Confined to this part of the world (roughly ASEAN) Meeting still voted into Appendix I

51 Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo: Result Indonesia banned the export of Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo Data shows none exported An Appendix I listing will not prevent international smuggling - do the opposite as birds now more valuable

52 Bird-nest Soup: Result Collocallia swiftlets - The attempt to list them as endangered is a classic case of misuse of CITES It took ASEAN 5 years to convince CITES Cost to ASEAN was US$100,000/- for organising this rebuttal

53 Conclusion

54 CITES and the West CITES is largely driven by western countries Under the domination of developed countries, especially western NGOs The EU (Europeon Union) is the controlling force in CITES, with its 25 countries, its wealth both of knowledge and money, and its coordinated approach

55 Switzerland - fair and faithful to the intention of CITES

56 CITES and Developing Countries Developing countries are Unorgansised Lack wealth and resources to mount a sustained retort Not hard working enough Quite a few lack sufficient dedication

57 COP meeting is too large and complicated Developing countries do not have the means and resources to make a proper study of the proposals Do not have the money to attend Committee meetings (Standing, Animals and Plants) held in between COP s Meetings fully attended by developed countries and NGO s of wealthy countries, and with large delegations

58 $$$... Many developing countries do not have the money to attend COP meetings CITES pays for their attendance Only funds for 1 or 2 delegates per country, whilst delegations from rich countries can have as many as 20 delegates

59 Role of ASEAN ASEAN can play an important role in CITES It is a depository of the world s wildlife habitat It is seen as a balanced entity on wildlife conservation

60 Wrongful Listing in CITES & its Effects When CITES lists species wrongly in Appendix I, it suggests that many species in Appendix II may not be that endangered There is already a mind-boggling 5,000 animal species and 28,000 plant species

61 Governments in some developing countries are cynical of CITES Consequence is a lack of will by these governments to police and enforce CITES strictly

62 WE must have CITES But we must stop it from being misused