CITES Secretariat 1 CITES and argali Workshop TOWARDS A TRANS-BOUNDARY COOPERATION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ARGALI 2-4 December 2012, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
CITES 2 Purpose: ensure that wild fauna and flora in international trade are not exploited unsustainably
CITES Appendices 3 Nearly 35,000 species divided amongst three Appendices I II III "Species" means any species, subspecies, or geographically separate population thereof
4 CITES Appendices Appendix I Species threatened with extinction, which are or may be affected by trade International (commercial) trade in wild-taken specimens generally prohibited 655 animal species 298 plant species Export/import of hunting trophies is not considered for commercial purposes, but for personal use Export/import of Appendix-I trophies is possible under very strict conditions
CITES Appendices 5 Appendix II Species not necessarily threatened with extinction but trade must be controlled to avoid them becoming so Species resembling species already included in Appendix II International commercial trade is permitted and regulated 4,399 animal species 28,679 plant species (97% of all listings)
Appendix I Capra falconeri Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Ovis ammon hodgsoni Bhutan (ex), China, India, Nepal Ovis ammon nigrimontana Kazakhstan Ovis vignei vignei India, Pakistan Cervus elaphus hanglu India, Pakistan (ex) Moschus spp. (Only the populations of Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan) Appendix II Ovis ammon (Except subspecies in Appendix I) Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan Ovis canadensis (Population of Mexico; no others in the Appendices) Ovis vignei (Except subspecies in Appendix I) Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Saiga borealis Mongolia, Russian Federation (ex) Saiga tatarica China (ex), Kazakhstan, Poland (ex), Moldova (ex), Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Ukraine (ex), Uzbekistan Cervus elaphus bactrianus Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan (ex), Uzbekistan Moschus spp. (Except populations in Appendix I) 6
Appendix I Capra falconeri Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Ovis ammon hodgsoni Bhutan (ex), China, India, Nepal Ovis ammon nigrimontana Kazakhstan Ovis vignei vignei India, Pakistan Appendix II Ovis ammon (Except subspecies in Appendix I) Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan Ovis vignei (Except subspecies in Appendix I) Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan 7
How CITES works 8 CITES regulates export, re-export and import of live and dead animals/plants their parts and derivatives System of permits and certificates International trade: must be in legal specimens must not be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild
How CITES works 9 All countries that join the Convention: Appoint a Management Authority to deliver permits and certificates, report, communicate, ensure overall implementation Appoint a Scientific Authority to advise on nondetriment findings Adopt legislation for implementation, including penalties for non-compliance
Argali range States and CITES 10 Afghanistan 1986 China 1981 Kazakhstan 2000 Kyrgyzstan 2007 Mongolia 1996 Pakistan 1976 Russian Federation 1992 Tajikistan Non-Party
How CITES works 11 Similar requirements Similar authorities Similar procedures Similar rules and regulations COMMON PROCEDURAL MECHANISMS Similar documents
CITES 12 Common procedural mechanisms used by 176 countries to regulate and monitor international trade in listed species
Argali specimens in trade (2000-11) 13 bodies bones cloth horns large leather products live skeletons skin pieces skins skulls small leather products specimens trophies
Trade in Ovis ammon vs. O. vignei 14 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total O. ammon, exporters' reports, all purposes, all sources O. vignei exporters' reports, all purposes, all sources
Destination of argali specimens (2000-11) 15 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Australia Belarus Canada China Japan Mexico New Caledonia New Zealand Norway Qatar Russian Federation Singapore South Africa Switzerland Ukraine United States of America EU total Others
16 Origin of argali trophies (Tot. 2374; 2000-11) Mongolia 30% Uzbekistan 0% Kazakhstan 2% Others 2% Russian Federation 4% China 7% Tajikistan 26% Kyrgyzstan 29%
17 Origin of argali trophies (Tot. 2374; 2000-11) 350 300 Others 250 Uzbekistan 200 150 100 Tajikistan Russian Federation Mongolia Kyrgyzstan 50 Kazakhstan 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 China
Non-detriment findings 18 Article IV of the Convention An export permit shall only be granted when a Scientific Authority of the State of export has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species...a Management Authority of the State of export is satisfied that the specimen was not obtained in contravention of national laws to protect of fauna and flora; a Scientific Authority shall monitor actual exports and verify that export be limited to maintain the species throughout its range at a level consistent with its role in the ecosystems and well above the level at which that species might become eligible for inclusion in Appendix I Trade must be legal, sustainable and traceable
Non-detriment findings 19 CITES can take measures, including trade suspensions, when: Exports take place from Parties with insufficient CITES legislation Exports take place at levels that are found to be detrimental or unsustainable, i.e. when no or inadequate NDF is made [Review of Significant Trade] Trade levels of Ovis ammon have not yet warranted selection for Review of Significant Trade
Non-detriment findings 20 An NDF requires the Scientific Authority to effectively make a decision It can take many forms A written advice from the Scientific Authority, based on much or limited research A verbal advice from the Scientific Authority A quota agreed by the Scientific Authority for a specific time period
Non-detriment findings 21 Res. Conf. 10.3 on Designation and role of Scientific Authorities recommends that a NDF be based on: population status distribution population trend harvest other biological and ecological factors trade information Parties have not wanted over-prescriptive rules re. NDFs Case studies on CITES website More NDF guidance will be discussed at CoP16
NDF as a risk assessment 22 A non-detriment finding is essentially a sciencebased risk assessment of the impact of harvest or offtake on a national population Risk assessment methodology: 1. Analyze risks 2. Determine impact / Consider mitigating and management measures 3. Take a decision 4. Monitor results 5. Adapt management accordingly
Risk assessment methodology 23 Principles Data requirements should be proportionate to the potential risks Assessments should be based on the best information available If you need extra information and can get it, do so Experience helps Use of guidance and best practice examples helps
Volume in trade NDF = science-based risk assessment 24 moderate risk high risk low risk moderate risk Vulnerability of the species
Volume in trade NDF = science-based risk assessment 25 moderate risk high risk low risk moderate risk Vulnerability of the species
Volume in trade NDF = science-based risk assessment 26 Trade not advisable Vulnerability of the species
A checklist for non-detriment findings 27 CITES designed a checklist to help Scientific Authorities to determine risk Questions about different harvest regimes and their effects Questions about biological and management: score from low to high risk
Example of Scoring System to Assist Scientific Authorities in making Non-Detriment Findings - Plot of responses to questions in Table 2 BIOLOGY - Life history PROTECTION - Regulation of harvest 5 BIOLOGY - Niche breadth PROTECTION - Effectiveness of protection BIOLOGY - Dispersal 28 PROTECTION - Proportion protected from harvest 4 BIOLOGY - Human tolerance INCENTIVES - habitat conservation incentive 3 STATUS - National distribution The results can be visualized as a circular 2 INCENTIVES - Species conservation incentive STATUS - National abundance chart to help evaluate where biological and management information are strongest or 1 INCENTIVES - Effect of harvest STATUS - National population trend 0 weakest, so as to help decision-makers reach Response M ONITORING - Confidence in monitoring STATUS - Information quality a conclusion M ONITORING - M onitoring method CONTROL - Confidence in harvest management CONTROL - Harvest in strong tenure STATUS - Major threat The amount of red emanating from the center indicates where knowledge gaps occur or risk CONTROL - Open acess harvest may be greater (outer ring = riskiest) M ANAGEM ENT - Illegal off-take M ANAGEM ENT - M anagement history MANAGEMENT - Management plan CONTROL - Harvest in PA M ANAGEM ENT - Aim of harvest M ANAGEM ENT - Quotas
Adaptive management 29 Set Objectives Apply Management Monitor
Argali and adaptive management 30 Step 1: Specify the objective of management provide a sustainable off-take of argali in country x through trophy hunting with minimum impact on the breeding component in a situation where total population size cannot be determined Step 2: Based on information already available, apply management action establish a hunting + export quota at a conservative percentage of the estimated population of argali; develop management programme with incentives (incl. for local people) and restrictions (season, hunting area, sex, size, hunting of single individuals only, number of specimens per hunter, )
Argali and adaptive management 31 Step 3: Monitor application and outcome of management action build in a report-back system for hunting guides/hunters from which parameters such as harvesting effort, the quality of the trophy or the average age category of specimens can be used as indices of the impact of the harvest quota on the wild population develop a field monitoring programme for a representative part of the area harvested Step 4: Adapt management action/programme in light of results of monitoring or Revise objective of management review quota (eg. if hunting success or average size declines), or adapt incentives/restrictions; maintain or possibly increase quota if monitoring allows for this to meet objective
32 CITES Secretariat Geneva www.cites.org
Trade with non-parties 33 Where export or re-export is to, or import is from, a non-party, comparable documentation issued by the competent authorities which substantially conforms with CITES requirements for permits and certificates may be accepted Parties accept documentation from States not party to the Convention only if the details of the competent authorities and scientific institutions of such States are included in the online CITES Directory This also applies to specimens in transit destined for or coming from non-parties