[Federal Register: September 29, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 189)]
[Notices]
[Page 56605-56608]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29se08-93]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R9-IA-2008-N0223; 96300-1671-0000 FY08 R4]
Request for Information and Recommendations on Species Proposals,
Resolutions, Decisions, and Agenda Items for Consideration at the
Fifteenth Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora; U.S. Approach for the Meeting of the Conference of the
Parties
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice; request for information.
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SUMMARY: To implement the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES or the Convention),
the Parties to the Convention meet periodically to review what species
in international trade should be regulated and other aspects of the
implementation of CITES. The fifteenth regular meeting of the
Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP15) is tentatively scheduled to
be held in late January 2010 in Doha, Qatar. Therefore, with this
notice we are soliciting recommendations for amending Appendices I and
II of CITES at CoP15 as well as recommendations for resolutions,
decisions, and agenda items for discussion at CoP15. We invite you to
provide us with information and recommendations on animal and plant
species that should be considered as candidates for U.S. proposals to
amend CITES Appendices I and II. Such amendments may concern the
addition of species to Appendix I or II, the transfer of species from
one Appendix to another, or the removal of species from Appendix II. We
also invite you to provide us with information and recommendations on
possible resolutions, decisions, and agenda items for discussion at the
upcoming meeting. Finally, with this notice we also describe the U.S.
approach to preparations for CoP15.
DATES: We will consider all information and comments received by
November 28, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send correspondence pertaining to species proposals to the
Division of Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401
North Fairfax Drive, Room 110, Arlington, Virginia 22203, or via e-mail
to: scientificauthority@fws.gov. Comments and materials received
pertaining to species proposals will be available for public
inspection, by appointment, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, at the Division of Scientific Authority.
Send correspondence pertaining to resolutions, decisions, and
agenda items to the Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington,
Virginia 22203, or via e-mail at: CoP15@fws.gov. Comments and materials
received pertaining to resolutions, decisions, and agenda items will be
available for public inspection, by appointment, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, at the Division of Management Authority.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information pertaining to species
proposals: Rosemarie Gnam, Chief, Division of Scientific Authority,
phone 703-358-1708, fax 703-358-2276, e-mail:
scientificauthority@fws.gov.
For information pertaining to resolutions, decisions, and agenda
items: Robert R. Gabel, Chief, Division of Management Authority, phone
703-358-2095, fax 703-358-2298, e-mail: CoP15@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora, hereinafter referred to as CITES or the Convention, is
an international treaty designed to regulate international trade in
certain animal and plant species that are now or potentially may be
threatened with extinction. These species are listed in the Appendices
to CITES, which are available on the CITES Secretariat's Web site at
http://www.cites.org/eng/app/index.shtml. Currently, 173 countries,
including the United States, are Parties to CITES. The Convention calls
for biennial meetings of the Conference of the Parties, which review
its implementation, make provisions enabling the CITES Secretariat in
Switzerland to carry out its functions, consider amendments to the list
of species in Appendices I and II, consider reports presented by the
Secretariat, and make recommendations for the improved effectiveness of
CITES. Any country that is a Party to CITES may propose amendments to
Appendices I and II, resolutions, decisions, and agenda items for
consideration by all the Parties at the meeting.
This is our first in a series of Federal Register notices that,
together with announced public meetings, provide you with an
opportunity to participate in the development of the U.S. submissions
to and negotiating positions for the fifteenth regular meeting of the
Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP15). Our regulations governing
this public process are found in 50 CFR 23.87.
Announcement of the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties
We hereby notify you of the convening of CoP15, which is
tentatively scheduled to be held in late January 2010 in Doha, Qatar.
U.S. Approach for CoP15
What are the priorities for U.S. submissions to CoP15?
Priorities for U.S. submissions to CoP15 continue to be consistent
with the overall objective of U.S. participation in the Convention: to
maximize the effectiveness of the Convention in the conservation and
sustainable use of species subject to international trade. With this in
mind, we plan to consider the following factors in determining what
issues to submit for inclusion in the agenda at CoP15:
(1) Does the proposed action address a serious wildlife trade issue
that the United States is experiencing as a range country for species
in trade? Since our primary responsibility is the conservation of our
domestic wildlife resources, we will give native species highest
priority. We will place particular emphasis on terrestrial and
freshwater species with the majority of their range in the United
States and its territories that are or may be traded in significant
numbers; marine species that occur in U.S. waters or for which the
United States is a major exporter; and threatened and endangered
species for which we and other Federal and State agencies already have
statutory responsibility for protection and recovery. We also consider
CITES listings as a proactive measure to
[[Page 56606]]
monitor and manage trade in native species to preclude the need for the
application of stricter measures, such as listing under the Endangered
Species Act or inclusion in CITES Appendix I.
(2) Does the proposed action address a serious wildlife trade issue
for species not native to the United States? As a major importer of
wildlife and wildlife products, the United States has taken
responsibility, by working in close consultation with range countries,
for addressing cases of potential over-exploitation of foreign species
in the wild. In some cases, the United States may not be a range
country or a significant trading country for a species, but we will
work closely with other countries to conserve species being threatened
by unsustainable exploitation for international trade. We will consider
CITES listings for species not native to the United States if those
listings will assist in addressing cases of known or potential over-
exploitation of foreign species in the wild, and in preventing illegal,
unregulated trade, especially if the United States is a major importer.
These species will be prioritized based on the extent of trade and
status of the species, and also the role the species play in the
ecosystem, with emphasis on those species for which a CITES listing
would offer the greatest conservation benefits to the species,
associated species, and their habitats.
(3) Does the proposed action address difficulties in implementing
or interpreting the Convention by the United States as an importing or
exporting country, and would the proposed action contribute to the
effective implementation of the Convention by all Parties? Differences
in interpretation of the Convention by 173 Party nations can result in
inconsistencies in the way it is implemented. In addition, wildlife
trade is dynamic and ever-changing, thus presenting problems when
established procedures are not readily applicable to new situations.
The United States experiences some of these problems and
inconsistencies directly through its own imports and exports, but we
also learn of these difficulties through our participation in various
fora, such as the CITES Standing Committee and technical committees,
and through discussions with other countries, non-governmental
organizations, and the CITES Secretariat. When the United States cannot
resolve these difficulties unilaterally or through bilateral
discussions with trading partners, it may propose resolutions or
decisions, usually in collaboration with other Parties, or have these
topics included in the agenda of the meeting of the Conference of the
Parties for discussion by all of the Parties.
(4) Does the proposed action improve implementation of the
Convention by increasing the quality of information and expertise used
to support decisions by the Parties? With increased complexity,
sophistication, and specialization in the biological sciences and other
disciplines, it is critical that the CITES Parties have the best
available information upon which to base decisions that affect the
conservation of wildlife resources. Where appropriate, the United
States will recommend actions to ensure the availability of up-to-date
and accurate information to the Parties, including through the
establishment of relationships with relevant international bodies,
including other conventions, interjurisdictional resource management
agencies, and international non-governmental organizations with
relevant expertise.
Request for Information and Recommendations for Amending Appendices I
or II
One of the purposes of this notice is to solicit information and
recommendations that will help us identify species that the United
States should propose as candidates for addition to, removal from, or
reclassification in the CITES Appendices, or to identify issues
warranting attention by the CITES specialists on zoological and
botanical nomenclature. This request is not limited to species
occurring in the United States. Any Party may submit proposals
concerning animal or plant species occurring in the wild anywhere in
the world. We encourage the submission of information on species for
possible inclusion in the Appendices if these species are subject to
international trade that may be detrimental to the survival of the
species. We also encourage you to keep in mind the U.S. approach to
CoP15, described above in this notice, when determining what species
the United States should propose for possible inclusion in the
Appendices.
Complete proposals are not being requested at this time, but are
always welcome. Rather, we are asking you to submit convincing
information describing: (1) The status of the species, especially trend
information; (2) conservation and management programs for the species,
including the effectiveness of enforcement efforts; and (3) the level
of international as well as domestic trade in the species, especially
trend information. You may also provide any other relevant information,
and we appreciate receiving a list of references.
The term ``species'' is defined in CITES as ``any species,
subspecies, or geographically separate population thereof.'' Each
species for which trade is controlled under CITES is included in one of
three Appendices, either as a separate listing or incorporated within
the listing of a higher taxon. The basic requirements for inclusion of
species in the Appendices are contained in Article II of CITES.
Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction that are or may
be affected by trade. Appendix II includes species that, although not
necessarily now threatened with extinction, may become so unless trade
in them is strictly controlled. Appendix II also lists species that
must be subject to regulation in order that trade in other CITES-listed
species may be brought under effective control. Such listings
frequently are necessary because of difficulty inspectors have at ports
of entry or exit in distinguishing specimens of currently or
potentially threatened species from other species. Because Appendix III
only includes species that any Party may list unilaterally, we are not
seeking input on possible U.S. Appendix-III listings with this notice,
and we will not consider or respond to comments received concerning
Appendix-III listings.
CITES specifies that international trade in any readily
recognizable parts or derivatives of animals listed in Appendices I or
II, or plants listed in Appendix I, is subject to the same conditions
that apply to trade in the whole organisms. With certain standard
exclusions formally approved by the Parties, the same applies to the
readily recognizable parts and derivatives of most plant species listed
in Appendix II. Parts and derivatives usually not included (i.e., not
regulated) for Appendix-II plants are: Seeds, spores, pollen (including
pollinia), and seedlings or tissue cultures obtained in vitro and
transported in sterile containers. You may refer to the CITES
Appendices on the Secretariat's Web site at http://www.cites.org/eng/
app/index.shtml for further exceptions and limitations.
In 1994, the CITES Parties adopted criteria for inclusion of
species in Appendices I and II, which were revised at CoP14 (in
Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP14)) in June 2007. These criteria apply
to all listing proposals and are available from the CITES Secretariat's
Web site at http://www.cites.org, or upon request from the Division of
Scientific Authority at the above address. Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev.
[[Page 56607]]
CoP14) also provides a format for complete proposals.
What information should be submitted?
In response to this notice, to provide us with information and
recommendations on species subject to international trade for possible
proposals to amend the Appendices, please include as much of the
following information as possible in your submission:
(1) Scientific name and common name;
(2) Population size estimates (including references if available);
(3) Population trend information;
(4) Threats to the species (other than trade);
(5) The level or trend of international trade (as specific as
possible but without a request for new searches of our records);
(6) The level or trend in total take from the wild (as specific as
reasonable); and
(7) A short summary statement clearly presenting the rationale for
inclusion in or removal or transfer from one of the Appendices,
including which of the criteria in Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP14)
are met.
If you wish to submit more complete proposals for us to consider,
please consult Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP14) for the format for
proposals and a detailed explanation of each of the categories.
Proposals to transfer a species from Appendix I to Appendix II, or to
remove a species from Appendix II, must also be in accordance with the
precautionary measures described in Annex 4 of Resolution Conf. 9.24
(Rev. CoP14).
What will we do with the information we receive?
One important function of the CITES Scientific Authority of each
Party country is monitoring the international trade in plant and animal
species, and ongoing scientific assessments of the impact of that trade
on species. For native U.S. species listed in Appendices I and II, we
monitor trade and export permits we authorize so we can prevent over-
utilization and restrict exports if necessary. We also work closely
with the States to ensure that species are correctly listed in the
CITES Appendices (or not listed, if a listing is not warranted). We
actively seek information about U.S. and foreign species subject to
international trade. The information submitted will help us monitor
trade and its impact, as well as help us decide if we should submit or
co-sponsor a proposal to amend the CITES Appendices. However, there may
be species that qualify for CITES listing but for which we may decide
not to submit a proposal to CoP15. Our decision will be based on a
number of factors, including available scientific and trade
information, whether or not the species is native to the United States,
and for foreign species, whether or not a proposal is supported or co-
sponsored by at least one range country for the species. These factors
and others are included in the U.S. approach to CoP15, described above
in this notice. We intend to carefully consider all factors of the U.S.
approach when deciding which species the United States should propose
for possible inclusion in the Appendices.
We will consult range countries for foreign species, and for
species we share with other countries, after receiving and analyzing
the information provided by the public in response to this notice as
well as other information available to us.
Request for Information and Recommendations on Resolutions, Decisions,
and Agenda Items
Although we have not yet received formal notice of the provisional
agenda for CoP15, we invite your input on possible agenda items that
the United States could recommend for inclusion, or on possible
resolutions and decisions of the Conference of the Parties that the
United States could submit for consideration. Copies of the agenda and
the results of the last meeting of the Conference of the Parties
(CoP14) in The Hague, the Netherlands, in June 2007, as well as copies
of all resolutions and decisions of the Conference of the Parties
currently in effect, are available from the CITES Secretariat's Web
site (http://www.cites.org/) or the Division of Management Authority at
the above address.
Observers
Article XI, paragraph 7 of CITES provides: ``Any body or agency
technically qualified in protection, conservation or management of wild
fauna and flora, in the following categories, which has informed the
Secretariat of its desire to be represented at meetings of the
Conference by observers, shall be admitted unless at least one-third of
the Parties present object:
(a) International agencies or bodies, either governmental or non-
governmental, and national governmental agencies and bodies; and
(b) National non-governmental agencies or bodies which have been
approved for this purpose by the State in which they are located.
Once admitted, these observers shall have the right to participate but
not to vote.''
National agencies or organizations within the United States must
obtain our approval to participate in CoP15, whereas international
agencies or organizations must obtain approval directly from the CITES
Secretariat. We will publish information in a future Federal Register
notice on how to request approved observer status. A fact sheet on the
process is posted on our Web site at: http://www.fws.gov/international/
pdf/ob.pdf.
Future Actions
The next regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP15)
is tentatively scheduled to be held in late January 2010 in Doha,
Qatar. We have developed a tentative U.S. schedule to prepare for that
meeting. The United States must submit any proposals to amend Appendix
I or II, or any draft resolutions, decisions, and/or agenda items for
discussion at CoP15, to the CITES Secretariat 150 days prior to the
start of the meeting. In order to accommodate this deadline, we plan to
publish a Federal Register notice approximately 10 months prior to
CoP15 announcing tentative species proposals, draft resolutions, draft
decisions, and agenda items to be submitted by the United States, and
to solicit further information and comments on them.
Approximately 4 months prior to CoP15, we will post on our Web site
an announcement of the species proposals, draft resolutions, draft
decisions, and agenda items submitted by the United States to the CITES
Secretariat for consideration at CoP15. The deadline for submission of
the proposals, draft resolutions, draft decisions, and agenda items to
the Secretariat will be 150 days prior to the start of the meeting
(tentatively late August 2009).
Through a series of additional notices and Web site postings in
advance of CoP15, we will inform you about preliminary negotiating
positions on resolutions, decisions, and amendments to the Appendices
proposed by other Parties for consideration at CoP15, and about how to
obtain observer status from us. We will also publish announcements of
public meetings tentatively to be held approximately 9 months prior to
CoP15, and approximately 2 months prior to CoP15, to receive public
input on our positions regarding CoP15 issues. The procedures for
developing U.S. documents and negotiating positions for a meeting of
the Conference of the Parties to CITES are outlined in 50 CFR 23.87. As
noted,
[[Page 56608]]
we may modify or suspend the procedures outlined there if they would
interfere with the timely or appropriate development of documents for
submission to the CoP and U.S. negotiating positions.
Author: The primary author of this notice is Anne St. John,
Division of Management Authority, under the authority of the U.S.
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: September 10, 2008.
Pamela A. Matthes,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. E8-22746 Filed 9-26-08; 8:45 am]
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