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FAO Fisheries Report No. 741 |
FIRM/R741 (En) |
Report of the Rome, 25-28 May 2004 |
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FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2004 |
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The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. |
ISBN 92-5-105239-5
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© FAO 2004
FAO. ABSTRACT The Expert Consultation on Implementation Issues Associated with Listing Commercially-exploited Aquatic Species on CITES Appendices was held at FAO headquarters from 25 to 28 May 2004. It was held in response to the agreement by the twenty-fifth session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) that an Expert Consultation should be convened to address the following issues, related to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES):
The meeting was attended by 11 experts from ten countries, with expertise covering the terms of reference for the Consultation, and by a member of the CITES Secretariat. After extensive discussions, the Consultation agreed on a number of key recommendations. Amongst these were that States needed to improve communication and coordination between their national governmental agencies responsible for CITES implementation and those responsible for natural resource management, including fisheries. Attention was drawn to the concern of many FAO members that a sufficiently responsive and flexible mechanism for listing and de-listing is required in CITES. It was suggested that FAO could raise this concern with CITES, taking into consideration the nature of safeguard mechanisms for down-listing commercially-exploited aquatic species and the manner in which they might be applied. The Consultation discussed the approaches used within CITES to assist Customs and others in identifying specimens and species. It raised the need to examine alternative approaches that would effectively address enforcement and identification issues in a manner that would avoid unnecessary listing of look-alike species. Similarly there was examination of the potential problems for fisheries if there was inflexible adherence by CITES Parties to the guidance on split-listing. The nature and implications of CITES permitting procedures for aquaculture systems were examined. The Consultation examined some case studies of commercially-exploited aquatic species that were on a CITES Appendix but these did not provide sufficient information on the costs and benefits of a CITES listing. It was recommended that further work on this was required. The Consultation raised the need for capacity-building to assist States to meet their obligations under CITES. Attention was drawn to the fact that implementation of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the associated international plans of action should help to reduce the incidence of listing proposals for commercially-exploited aquatic species. |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE EXPERT CONSULTATION
The role and mechanisms of CITES
CITES, FAO and commercially-exploited aquatic species
Institutions and personnel
CITES permits and certificates
Non-detriment findings
Relationship with other conventions and treaties dealing with marine species
Monitoring and tracking of trade
Significant trade review
Non-compliance with CITES obligations
Application of precautionary measures (Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP12) Annex 4)
IDENTIFYING LISTED SPECIES IN TRADE
Look-alike provision
Identification guides and genetic testing
Omit certain products from an Appendix-III listing
Sharing of information and testing technologies
Labelling and other identifying marks
Split-listing
AQUACULTURE AND CULTURE-BASED FISHERIES
IMPLICATIONS OF IMPLEMENTING THE LISTING OF A COMMERCIALLY- EXPLOITED AQUATIC SPECIES
Administrative costs
Management
Social and economic implications of listing a commercially-exploited aquatic species
Appendix A Agenda
Appendix B List of Participants
Appendix C Welcome by Mr Ichiro Nomura, Assistant Director-General, FAO Fisheries Department