Bird-nest Soup & the Politics of CITES Lecturer08 Lee 02.pdf · Bird-nest Soup & the Politics of...
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Dr Giam C.H Bird Bird - - nest Soup & the nest Soup & the Politics of CITES Politics of CITES Dr Giam Choo Hoo
Transcript of Bird-nest Soup & the Politics of CITES Lecturer08 Lee 02.pdf · Bird-nest Soup & the Politics of...
Dr Giam C.H
BirdBird--nest Soup & the nest Soup & the Politics of CITESPolitics of CITES
Dr Giam Choo Hoo
Dr Giam C.H
What is CITES and how its works
Where has CITES gone wrong
The unintended consequence of the path it has
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CITESCITES
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
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Founded 1975
167 member States (called Parties)
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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.
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Species?Species?
A species is defined widelyAn ivory carving comes under the control as per elephantsA watch-strap from a python skin as per pythons
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C.O.PC.O.P
COP - Conference of the Parties (Countries)Decisions made – whether endangered or not-endangeredMeets every two and half years.
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CommitteesCommittees
Animals Committee/ Plants CommitteeTechnical committees – looking after animals and plants respectivelyCommittees members are experts responsible for providing scientific and technical advice Committees influential as their recommendations are deciding factors at COP’s
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CITES and International TradeCITES and International Trade
CITES is about international trade in wildlifeA species should only be listed in CITES if it is endangered and in international trade
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Importing and Exporting an Importing and Exporting an Appendix II wildlifeAppendix II wildlife
Appendix II species are those not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so unless
trade is controlled
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Example: CrocodilesExample: Crocodiles……
All crocodiles are endangered; some in Appendix I and others in Appendix IIEven if they are endangered, CITES encourages trade of Appendix II crocodiles
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Therefore you can buy endangered crocodile -
Wrist-watch bandsBelts
in Switzerland, Germany, Singapore,...
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How it is doneHow it is done……
An export permit shall only be grantedwhen cleared by
a Scientific Authority of the exporting country a Management Authority of the exporting country
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Every country has a Management Authority which issues import and export permits to ensure the rules of CITES are complied with
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A separate and independent Scientific Authority comprising scientific experts which decides whether the species and the number to be exported are not over-harvested
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COP Bangkok 2-14 October 2004COP - Conference of the Parties
There were 50 proposals to put species on the endangered list
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(a) Elephants and Ivory(b) Whales(c) Sharks(d) Dolphins(e) Cockatoos(f) Ramin
(g) (Edible bird-nest)
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Elephants and IvoryElephants and Ivory -- The The African elephant is in AppendixAfrican elephant is in Appendix I
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Southern African countries look after their elephants very wellOverpopulationExpanding populations encroach on to
farmland. A menace to peasant farmers
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In NamibiaIn Namibia
Namibia previously received approval to sell their ivoryNamibia broadened its request to include leather, hair goods, and worked ivory products eg ekipasNamibia adopts the policy of rewarding its indigenous people for cooperation in elephant conservation
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Map of Namibia, AfricaMap of Namibia, Africa
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Supported by Bolivia, Botswana, Iceland, Japan, Qatar, Zambia and ZimbabweOpposed by Ghana, India, Israel, Kenya, Mali, the 25 EU States, Senegal, Togo and IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), an NGO
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Japan and The Japan and The MinkeMinke WhalesWhales
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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
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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 NorwayOpposed by 25 EU and other countries
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Sharks and SharkSharks and Shark--fins fins --
Great White shark (of Great White shark (of ““JawsJaws””notoriety) proposed to be put in notoriety) proposed to be put in Appendix IIAppendix II
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Great White Shark..Great White Shark..
Objection to listing - Great White shark is hardly tradedThe little trade not the result of targeted catchNo trade in their fins - too tough to be eatenOnly trade in a very small number of jaws and teeth
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OppositionOpposition……
China, Japan, ASEAN, Qatar, Norway, Saint Lucia and fisheries countries against the proposalMarine fisheries control should lie with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) and regional fisheries organizations
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Support GarneredSupport Garnered……
25 EU countries support listingThailand broke rank with ASEAN and supported the proposal but “was concerned that difficulties of identification could hamper the (other) legitimate shark trade.”
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IrrawaddyIrrawaddy dolphindolphin –– Thailand Thailand proposed its transfer from proposed its transfer from Appendix II to Appendix I Appendix II to Appendix I
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The primary threat to The primary threat to IrrawaddyIrrawaddydolphins is 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
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Entanglement in gillnets. During 1997-99, 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 forblast 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 etal. examined 17 dolphin carcasses and concluded that at least seven of the animals had died from gillnet entanglement. Fourteenmore 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 2001. 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 localfishermen (S. Choorak, pers. comm.).
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Lesser Lesser sulphursulphur--crested crested cockatoocockatoo
Indonesia proposal Indonesia proposal --transfer from Appendix II transfer from Appendix II to Appendix Ito Appendix I
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The problem The problem ––
Habitat loss Illegal domestic capture and sale in IndonesiaCockatoos are kept as pets in Indonesia
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Flora SpeciesFlora Species
Ramin - Indonesia wanted Gonystylus sppincluded in Appendix IITimber popular as decorative cabinet timber and furnitureCategorized as “vulnerable” because of heavy logging and habitat destruction
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BirdsBirds--nest Soupnest Soup
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WhatWhat’’s in its in it……??
Collocallia swiftlets used in bird-nest soupFound only in South-east Asia, and no where else in the worldBulk of bird-nests are produced in Indonesia, Malaysia, and ThailandMost are ‘farmed’
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Appendix II listing proposal?Appendix II listing proposal?
1994 CITES meeting - Italy proposed an Appendix II listing
An ignorant proposal
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Elephants and Ivory: ResultsElephants and Ivory: Results
The debate over ivory and ekipas is to overcome the unintended consequence of CITES
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Whales and Japan: ResultsWhales and Japan: Results
The Minke whale proposal was rejected, with 55 votes in favour, 67 against and 14 abstentionsIt is not as one-sided as painted by the western press
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Japan argues that whales are not entirely benignThey eat five times the world fish catchThey compete with mankind for fish
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Sharks & SharkSharks & Shark--fin Soup: Resultfin Soup: Result
The debate on Great White shark is viewed as part of an overalll campaign to eventually stop the consumption of shark-fin soupHinders non-endangered sharkfin trade
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COP in Kenya 2000UK, US and Australia proposed three large sharks as endangered, out of over 400 sharks species. The meeting rejected all three proposals
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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
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Many sharks are by-catch of fish caught in the nets of fishermenFishermen are the millions found along the coast of India, Madagascar, Africa, Indonesia (eg Lombok, Sulawesi), the Caribbean and the Pacific
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Fins fetch a high priceThey do not to be kept in refrigeration by the fishermenOnly need to be sundried on the beach, and kept in a simple storeroom
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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)
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The live-finning of sharks is deplorableAction taken against the practice
But most of fins consumed do not come from live-finning
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ASEAN and many developing countries are against sharks listing
Argue that shark management should remain with FAO (UN Food & Agriculture Organisation)
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IrrawadyIrrawady dolphin: Resultdolphin: Result
Appendix II listing sufficient to stop the trade in dolphinConfined to this part of the world (roughly ASEAN)Meeting still voted into Appendix I
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Lesser Lesser sulphursulphur--crested cockatoo: crested cockatoo: Result Result
Indonesia banned the export of Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo Data shows none exportedAn Appendix I listing will not prevent international smuggling - do the opposite as birds now more valuable
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BirdBird--nest Soup: Resultnest Soup: Result
Collocallia swiftlets - The attempt to list them as endangered is a classic case of misuse of CITESIt took ASEAN 5 years to convince CITESCost to ASEAN was US$100,000/- for organising this rebuttal
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Conclusion…
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CITES and the WestCITES and the West
CITES is largely driven by western countriesUnder 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
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Switzerland - fair and faithful to the intention of CITES
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CITES and Developing CountriesCITES and Developing Countries
Developing countries are –UnorgansisedLack wealth and resources to mount a sustained retortNot hard working enoughQuite a few lack sufficient dedication
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COP meeting is too large and complicatedDeveloping countries do not have the means and resources to make a proper study of the proposalsDo not have the money to attend Committeemeetings (Standing, Animals and Plants) held in between COP’sMeetings fully attended by developed countries and NGO’s of wealthy countries, and with large delegations
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$$$...$$$...
Many developing countries do not have the money to attend COP meetings CITES pays for their attendanceOnly funds for 1 or 2 delegates per country, whilst delegations from rich countries can have as many as 20 delegates
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Role of ASEANRole of ASEAN
ASEAN can play an important role in CITES It is a depository of the world’s wildlife habitatIt is seen as a balanced entity on wildlife conservation
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Wrongful Listing in CITES & its EffectsWrongful 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 endangeredThere is already a mind-boggling 5,000 animal species and 28,000 plant species
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Governments in some developing countries are cynical of CITESConsequence is a lack of will by these governments to police and enforce CITES strictly
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WE WE must must have CITEShave CITES……
…But we must stop it from being misused
