Review of Species Selected on the Basis of the Analysis of 2015 CITES Export Quotas
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UNEP-WCMC technical report Review of species selected on the basis of the Analysis of 2015 CITES export quotas (Version edited for public release) Review of species selected on the basis of the Analysis of 2015 CITES export quotas Prepared for The European Commission, Directorate General Environment, Directorate E - Global & Regional Challenges, LIFE ENV.E.2. – Global Sustainability, Trade & Multilateral Agreements, Brussels, Belgium Prepared November 2015 Copyright European Commission 2015 Citation UNEP-WCMC. 2015. Review of species selected on the basis of the Analysis of 2015 CITES export quotas. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge. The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is the specialist biodiversity assessment of the United Nations Environment Programme, the world’s foremost intergovernmental environmental organization. The Centre has been in operation for over 30 years, combining scientific research with policy advice and the development of decision tools. We are able to provide objective, scientifically rigorous products and services to help decision-makers recognize the value of biodiversity and apply this knowledge to all that they do. To do this, we collate and verify data on biodiversity and ecosystem services that we analyze and interpret in comprehensive assessments, making the results available in appropriate forms for national and international level decision-makers and businesses. To ensure that our work is both sustainable and equitable we seek to build the capacity of partners where needed, so that they can provide the same services at national and regional scales. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNEP, contributory organisations or editors. 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Contents Introduction and summary ............................................................................................................................... 2 Varanus spp. .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Overview of status and management of corals in Fiji ................................................................................... 13 Astreopora spp. ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Leptoseris spp. .............................................................................................................................................. 21 Pachyseris rugosa ......................................................................................................................................... 23 Catalaphyllia jardinei .................................................................................................................................. 26 Euphyllia paraancora .................................................................................................................................. 28 Tubastraea faulkneri ................................................................................................................................... 30 Tubastraea micranthus ................................................................................................................................ 31 Diploastrea heliopora ................................................................................................................................... 33 Favia spp. .................................................................................................................................................... 35 Goniastrea spp. ............................................................................................................................................ 38 Leptastrea spp. ............................................................................................................................................. 41 Acanthastrea spp. .........................................................................................................................................43 Symphyllia spp. ............................................................................................................................................ 45 Acrhelia spp. ............................................................................................................................................... 47 Galaxea fascicularis ..................................................................................................................................... 49 Echinophyllia spp. ........................................................................................................................................ 52 Oxypora spp. ................................................................................................................................................ 56 Pectinia spp. ................................................................................................................................................. 58 Psammocora spp. ........................................................................................................................................ 60 Overview of status and management of corals in Malaysia ........................................................................ 68 Appendix ........................................................................................................................................................... 77 1 Introduction and summary This report presents a review and overviews or overviews of 73 taxa selected on the basis of the Analysis of 2015 CITES export quotas and provides an update of new and increased 2015 CITES export quotas published since the production of this Analysis. National export quotas for CITES listed taxa are an important tool to manage and monitor wildlife trade. The establishment or revision of an export quota should be based on a non-detriment finding (NDF) by the Scientific Authority of the exporting country and the NDF should be reviewed annually (Resolution Conf. 14.7 (Rev. CoP15)). Once such annual quotas are established, the need for a NDF for each individual shipment of the species concerned is eliminated. The EU, through stricter measures outlined in the Wildlife Trade Regulations, requires an NDF by importing Member States and therefore monitors newly established quotas and changes to previous quota levels to assess the situation where necessary, or to reassess SRG opinions or EU decisions. Similarly, by assessing the new quotas early each year, the SRG can advise on the treatment of anticipated import applications within the EU. Export quotas are usually established by each Party to CITES unilaterally on a voluntary basis, but they can also be set by the Conference of the Parties, or result from recommendations of the Animals and Plants Committees. To ensure that national quotas are effectively communicated and implemented on permits and certificates, countries should inform the CITES Secretariat when they establish national export quotas for CITES species (Resolution Conf. 12.3 (Rev. CoP16)). In turn, the Secretariat informs the Parties by publishing a list of national export quotas of which it has been informed (www.cites.org/eng/resources/quotas/index.php). In 2015, quotas were published on the CITES website (www.cites.org) on 02/02/2015 and were updated 31/03/2015, 30/04/2015, 01/06/2015, 01/07/2015, 14/07/2015, 21/08/2015, 31/08/2015 and 01/10/2015. Based on the quotas that were available on 29/05/2015, UNEP-WCMC analysed the 2015 CITES export quotas to identify: a) Quotas that were newly established in 2015 (i.e. 2014 quotas for particular species/country/term/source combinations that have not previously been subject to a quota, or have not been subject to a quota for at least the last 5 years); b) Quotas that increased or decreased in 2015 compared with 2014 quotas (or compared with 2013 quotas if no quota was published in 2014). A list of 73 taxa/country combinations that may warrant review was presented and the following taxon/country combinations are reviewed in this report: Five species and eight genera of corals from Fiji (new quotas) One species and four genera of corals from Fiji (increased quotas) Echinophyllia spp./Indonesia (new quota, 1500 live) Varanus spp./Malaysia (Sabah) (new quota, 3000 all [terms]) Seven species and 46 genera of corals from Malaysia (new quotas) 2 Update since Analysis of 2015 CITES export quotas Since the publication of the Analysis of 2015 export quotas, additional CITES export quotas have been published on the CITES website. Of these, the following relate to increased quotas for wild sourced specimens: an increase in Strombus gigas meat from Jamaica from 400 000 kg in 2014 to 450