MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (FAO) AND THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES)
(No consensus was reached on this text, see paragraph 48)
RECOGNIZING the primary role of sovereign States, FAO and regional fisheries management organizations in fisheries conservation and management,
RECOGNIZING further that the mission of FAO with respect to fisheries is to facilitate and secure the long-term sustainable development and utilization of the world’s fisheries and aquaculture resources,
NOTING IN PARTICULAR FAO’s three medium-term strategic objectives for fisheries namely: - Promotion of Responsible Fisheries Sector Management with priority given to the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Compliance Agreement, International Plans of Action, - Promotion of Increased Contribution of Responsible Fisheries and Aquaculture to World Food Supplies and Food Security and, - Global Monitoring and Strategic Analysis of Fisheries.
RECOGNIZING also the role of CITES in regulating international trade in species threatened with extinction which are or may be affected by international trade and those that may become threatened with extinction unless international trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation as well as other species which must be subject to regulation in order that international trade in specimens of certain species threatened with extinction may be brought under effective control,
RECOGNIZING further that for marine species, the CITES Secretariat has an obligation to consult inter-governmental bodies having a function in relation to those species “especially with a view to obtaining scientific data” and “to ensuring co-ordination with any conservation measures enforced by such bodies.”
TAKING account of the results of the 8th Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries Sub-Committee on Fish Trade held in Bremen, Germany from 12 – 16 February 2002 (which was endorsed by the Twenty-fifth Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) held in Rome from 24 to 28 February 2003) and in particular Paragraph 18 and Appendix F of the report of that meeting (FAO Fisheries Report No. 673) [and the view that CITES listings of commercially exploited aquatic resources should be limited to exceptional cases only and when all relevant bodies associated with the management of the species in question agree that such a listing would be advantageous].
NOTING that CITES cannot replace traditional fisheries management and the particular importance of consulting all relevant bodies associated with the management of the species when considering amendments to CITES appendices
ALSO TAKING account of the Decision of the 12th Conference of the Parties to CITES regarding the development of an MOU to establish a framework for cooperation between CITES and FAO,
BELIEVING that there is a need to strengthen the process in CITES for scientific evaluation of proposals for amendment of Appendices I and II concerning commercially-exploited aquatic species and improve communication between fisheries agencies and CITES authorities at the national level .
FAO AND CITES IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THEM HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
The Fisheries Department of FAO and the CITES Standing Committee will send each other general information of common interest.
FAO will be invited as an observer to meetings under the auspices of CITES or its Committees that are of common interest and CITES will be invited as an observer to meetings of common interest held by the Fisheries Department of FAO, the FAO Committee on Fisheries or its subcommittees.
FAO and CITES will cooperate as appropriate to promote capacity building in developing countries for issues relating to commercially-exploited aquatic species listed on CITES appendices.
FAO will continue to provide advice to CITES and be involved in the process of revision of the CITES listing criteria.
CITES will inform FAO of all proposals for amendment of Appendices I and II concerning commercially-exploited aquatic species related to those species. Such information shall be provided to FAO as soon as possible to allow FAO to carry out a scientific and technical review of such proposals in a manner it deems appropriate and for the resulting output to be transmitted to the CITES Secretariat who will consider it in its deliberations to provide recommendations to the Parties to CITES regarding such proposals.
In order to ensure coordination of conservation measures, CITES will incorporate to the greatest extent possible the results of the FAO scientific and technical review of proposals to amend the Appendices, the responses from all the relevant bodies associated with management of the species in question, as well as the substance of the preambular paragraphs of this memorandum in its advice and recommendations to the CITES Parties. [In particular, this shall include the position that CITES listings of commercially exploited aquatic resources should be limited to exceptional cases only and when all relevant bodies associated with the management of the species in question agree that such a listing would be advantageous.]
This Memorandum may be cancelled by either signatory by giving notice to the other in writing at any time.
Director General, FAO _____________________ Date: _______
Chair, Standing Committee of CITES ____________________________ Date: ________
