Shark Domestic Trade Is Not Affected by Cites 2

corals, sawfishes andsomesharks. corals, sawfishes lungfishes, seacucumbers,mussels,giantclams, queenconches,seahorses, wrasses, freshwatereels,carps, bony-tongues, trade, includingsturgeons, orimpedingdomestic affecting without initsAppendicesfordecades species trade ofmanymarineandaquatic hasbeenmanagingtheinternational CITES *www.cites.org mandate andjurisdictionoftheCITESConvention. over ofagiven country, theterritory doesnotfallwithinthe where products are caughtandusedlocally, regionally orall Thus anydomestictradefrom ashark fishery, forexample, outofacountry.into orexported regulates tradeofspeciesandspecimensthatare imported even ifitistradeofaCITES-listedspecies.CITESonly CITES doesnotregulate domestictradeinsideacountry, Convention ontheLawofSea” law,with international asreflected inthe United Nations to thesovereignty orsovereign rightsofaState consistent State’ meansthosemarineareas beyond theareas subject “the marineenvironment notunderthejurisdictionofany CITES Conf. Res. 14.6(rev. CoP15)establishesthat: jurisdiction ofanyState; which were taken inthemarineenvironment notunderthe means transportation intoaState ofspecimensanyspecies previously and(e)“Introduction beenimported; from thesea” (d) “Re-export” ofanyspecimenthathas meansexport re-export, andintroductionexport, from import thesea; I(c)definition oftrade:“Trade”CITES Article means only, no r CITES www.cites.org plants doesnotthreaten theirsurvival. trade inspecimensofwildanimalsand at regulating andensuringthatinternational (CITES) isaninternationalagreement aimed Endangered Species of Wild Fauna andFlora The Convention on International Trade in IS SHARK D NO e T AFFECT t dom gula O i tes trad estic M ES nte T ED B rna I C T e. ti onal trad Y CI D RA T E ES

for scientific research, forinstance.* except isnot commercial— whenthepurposeofimport prohibits international tradeinspecimensofthesespecies I. Thesespeciesare threatened withextinction,andCITES Only 926 speciesofplantandanimalare listedinAppendix Appendix II(4,685animalsand29,105plants). the three CITESAppendices, 33,790speciesare listedin species underCITES.*Out ofthe 34,942specieslistedin or re-exportforthese certificate. isnecessary permit No import byspecies maybeauthorized thegranting permit ofanexport permitted. International trade inspecimensofAppendix-II international tradewithAppendix IIlistedspeciesis Furthermore, anAppendix IIlistingisnotabanand captured canaffectthat. wherelegislation ofthecountry sharks are within thecountry. Only nationalorregional distribution, saleorconsumptionofthesespecies not inanywayaffectlocalmarkets, transport, CITES listingsofAppendix IImarine speciesdo

TRUE OR FALSE? INFORMATION ON LISTINGS OF SHARKS ON CITES APPENDIX II C I

An Appendix II listing will only t es y XV

regulate international trade Cour TRUE Appendix II listings help ensure that all international trade in a species is sustainable.

An Appendix II listing will affect domestic fisheries Domestic fisheries will continue as usual, local artisanal fisheries will not be shut down, and domestic markets will not be affected. Appendix II only regulates FALSE imports, exports, and re-exports. It also regulates introductions from the sea; that is, when specimens are caught on the high seas and brought into port.

An Appendix II listing will prohibit international trade International trade will continue as usual as is FALSE the case with over 33,000 other species of fauna and flora listed on CITES Appendix II.

CITES can’t manage trade in commercial marine species CITES already manages several commercially exploited FALSE marine species and many more plant and animal species that are traded internationally in high volumes.

FAO is the only instrument that can deal with marine species

FAO can only make recommendations and guidelines FALSE for the management of sharks, not for the regulation of international trade of sharks. FAO has recommended that some species of shark be listed by CITES.

To learn more about Defenders’ efforts to protect sharks, visit www.defenders.org.

11/2012