The 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) of CITES starts today. This meeting will be particularly important for Sri Lanka as there are few proposal for enlisting Manta Ray (Maduwa in Sinhala) and Sharks in CITES Appendix II which will then need a permit system, if the country needs to export parts of these animals. The Gill Rakers of Manta Ray and Fins of the Sharks are on demand which made Sri Lanka one of the top Manta Ray gill rakers exporting country.
In addition there was a decision to release the 359 African Elephant tusks that has been seized by customs. CITES has banned trading of Elephant Ivory, so it is also not appropriate to encourage releasing ivory to the system and many calls to destroy the stock publicly. Hence, the CITES’ COP16 will be relevant to Sri Lanka in many angles and to follow up the proceedings, please follow Window-to-Nature..!!
CITES came into action in 1973 also completes 40 years in 2013. Here is an extract from CITES COP16 Media Kit..
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will hold its next triennial conference in Bangkok from 3 to 14 March to decide how to improve the world’s wildlife trade regime that has been in place for 40 years. Some 2,000 delegates representing 178 governments, indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations and businesses are expected to attend and discuss, among other things, 70 proposals for amending the rules for specific species. Many of these proposals reflect growing international concern about the escalation of poaching and illegal trafficking of wild animals, the destruction of the world’s marine and forest resources through overfishing and excessive logging and the risks that wildlife crime represents for the security of the planet.
The 70 proposals submitted by 55 countries from across all regions of the world seek to improve the conservation and sustainable use of marine species (including several shark species) and timber species (including over a 100 species from Madagascar), the vicuña population of Ecuador, freshwater turtles, frogs, crocodiles, ornamental and medicinal plants and many other animals and plants. Proposals addressing elephants, white rhinoceros, and polar bears were also submitted.
This year, the 70 proposals1 will be divided up as follows:
- Animals: 48 proposals
- Plants: 22 proposals
- Transfer from Appendix I to Appendix II: 10 proposals
- Transfer from Appendix II to Appendix I: 12 proposals
- Inclusion into Appendix I: none
- Inclusion into Appendix II: 25
- Deletion from Appendix I: 7 from which 6 exctinct animal species
- Deletion from Appendix II: 11 from which 4 extinct animal species
- Annotations to the Appendices: 5
Click here to get the CITES PRESS KIT – CoP16 Bangkok 2013
