Partnerships for legal, sustainable and traceable trade in commercially exploited aquatic species
Panama City, 18 November 2022
The Development Law Service (LEGN) co-hosted a CITES COP 19 Side Event on “Partnerships for legal, sustainable and traceable trade in commercially exploited aquatic species”. Together with representatives of the CITES Secretariat, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations and Inter-governmental Organizations, participants discussed how the legal requirements of CITES can be more effectively implemented in the fisheries sector.
In his opening remarks, the Chief, LEGN reiterated that: “FAO’s longstanding collaboration with the CITES Secretariat continues to strengthen, especially in commercially exploited aquatic species and in legal aspects underpinning the Convention. This collaboration can support CITES Parties and FAO Members in achieving the high-level common objectives of promoting and ensuring sustainable, legal and traceable trade in species included in CITES Appendices, while supporting sustainable fisheries management in such species”. According to Juan Carlos Vasquez, Chief of the Legal Unit at the CITES Secretariat, “Parties are increasingly relying on CITES mechanisms to help them regulate trade in over-exploited marine species, so that their use is sustainable and future generations can enjoy the same benefits we have enjoyed. When it comes to the world’s oceans, we must work in partnership to reach our common objectives.” Mr David Vivas Eugui, Legal Officer in UNCTAD’s Ocean Economies and Fisheries Programme commented that “150 of 195 Members of UNCTAD are surrounded by oceans and more than half are more water than land. UNCTAD’s partnership with CITES through the Blue BioTrade project in the Eastern Caribbean confirms our joint commitment to harness trade that is based on legal, sustainable and traceable requirements. It is a tool that can provide a safety net for thousands of CITES protected marine species.”
LEGN also delivered a presentation on the Legal Study and Guide on Implementing CITES through national fisheries legal frameworks (available in English and Spanish), which has been highly used for capacity development workshops in the Pacific and Caribbean regions. Highlighting the impact of these workshops, Mr Nicho Gowep of the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority of Papua New Guinea, and Mr. Mauro Gongora of the Fisheries Department of Belize, presented and led discussion on recent inter-agency cooperation and legal developments in these two fishing nations. Mr Lench Fevrier of the OECS delivered a presentation on key Blue BioTrade activities and positive results, including the additional technical assistance provided to Grenada to enable it to overcome trade restrictions on queen conch and other CITES species, and the adoption of the first-ever OECS Blue BioTrade Regional Plan of Action for the queen conch value chain in the Eastern Caribbean.
For more information about the side event please click here