Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 2 • Number 12 • 27th June 2002
Ivory and Whale Products Likely to be Controversial at CITES Meeting
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Member states of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will discuss and decide over 54 submitted proposals on relaxing or strengthening the current restriction of trade in threatened plant and animal species. The two most controversial proposals submitted by the June deadline included a proposal by four African States to take up trade in ivory, and a proposal by Japan and Norway to restart trade in whale products. Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe requested one-time sales of ivory stocks between 10.000 and 30.000 kilos, as well as an annual quota between 2.000 and 5.000 kilo. Environmental NGOs and some countries, including India and Kenya, oppose legalising any form of ivory exports, fearing that it would trigger poaching. In 1997 CITES had waived its ban and had allowed Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to make one-off sales of their ivory stocks. The proposal of Japan and Norway sought to re-commence the trade of some surplus whale meat and products stocked by Norway, including from north Atlantic and north Pacific minke whales and Pacific Bryde’s whales. Both proposals are expected to cause long discussions at the 12th Conference of the Parties to CITES in Santiago, Chile, on 3-15 November.
“African states seek lifting ban on ivory trade,” REUTERS, 17 June 2002; “Rising trade in endangered species,” THE DAILY NEWS, 20 June 2002.
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