Analysis of 2007 CITES Export Quotas
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Analysis of 2013 CITES export quotas (Version edited for public release) Prepared for the European Commission Directorate General E - Environment ENV.E.2. – Development and Environment by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre May, 2013 UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre PREPARED FOR 219 Huntingdon Road Cambridge The European Commission, Brussels, Belgium CB3 0DL United Kingdom DISCLAIMER Tel: +44 (0) 1223 277314 Fax: +44 (0) 1223 277136 The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect Email: [email protected] the views or policies of UNEP, contributory Website: www.unep-wcmc.org organisations or editors. The designations employed and the presentations do not imply the The United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP- expressions of any opinion whatsoever on the part WCMC) is the specialist biodiversity assessment of UNEP, the European Commission or centre of the United Nations Environment contributory organisations, editors or publishers Programme (UNEP), the world’s foremost concerning the legal status of any country, territory, intergovernmental environmental organisation. city area or its authorities, or concerning the The Centre has been in operation for over 30 years, delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The combining scientific research with practical policy mention of a commercial entity or product in this advice. The Centre's mission is to evaluate and publication does not imply endorsement by UNEP. highlight the many values of biodiversity and put authoritative biodiversity knowledge at the centre © Copyright: 2013, European Commission of decision-making. Through the analysis and synthesis of global biodiversity knowledge the Centre provides authoritative, strategic and timely information for conventions, countries and organisations to use in the development and implementation of their policies and decisions. UNEP-WCMC provides objective and scientifically rigorous procedures and services. These include ecosystem assessments, support for the implementation of environmental agreements, global and regional biodiversity information, research on threats and impacts, and the development of future scenarios. CITATION UNEP-WCMC. 2013. Analysis of 2013 CITES export quotas. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge. Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 2. Species with new, increased or decreased quotas in 2013 ........................................................................ 2 2.1. Acipenseriformes ........................................................................................................................................ 2 2.2. Other species (non Acipenseriformes) ........................................................................................................ 3 2.2.1. Previously reviewed species of potential concern .................................................................................... 3 2.2.2. Other quotas of note ................................................................................................................................. 4 Table 1. Species subject to newly established quotas in 2013. ....................................................................... 5 Table 2. Species subject to increased quotas in 2013. ...................................................................................... 8 Table 3. Species subject to decreased quotas in 2013. ................................................................................... 10 1. Introduction 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. For Acipenseriformes species, quotas should be established and communicated to the CITES Secretariat for meat and caviar from stocks shared between different Range States [Resolution Conf. 12.7 (Rev. CoP14)]. Guidance on the use of export quotas is available through Resolution Conf. 14.7 (Rev. CoP15) on the Management of nationally established export quotas. To ensure that national quotas are effectively communicated, countries should inform the CITES Secretariat when they establish national export quotas for CITES species (Resolution Conf. 12.3 [Rev. CoP15]). In turn, the Secretariat informs the Parties. Early each year, the Secretariat publishes a Notification to the Parties containing a list of national export quotas of which it has been informed. Quotas generally relate to a calendar year (1 January to 31 December); however, since 2008 sturgeon quotas have related to a quota year (1 March to last day of February). In 2013, quotas were published on the CITES website (www.cites.org) on 11/04/2013. There were no quota updates during production of this report (report finalised on 09/05/2013). This report analyses the 2013 CITES export quotas to identify any changes in quotas between 2012 and 2013 and suggests where it may be appropriate to review how these changes might affect the status of the species or its area of distribution. The report outlines: a) Quotas that were newly established in 2013 (i.e. 2013 quotas for particular species/country/term/source combinations which 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 2013 compared with 2012 quotas (or compared with 2011 quotas if no quota was published in 2012). 2. Species with new, increased or decreased quotas in 2013 An overview of newly established, increased and decreased quotas in 2013 is presented in Tables 1, 2 and 3, respectively. On the basis of this analysis, species have been identified where the new or increased quotas in 2013 indicate that further discussion might be necessary to determine whether the trade may have a harmful effect on the conservation status of the species or on the extent of the territory occupied by the relevant population of the species. 2.1. Acipenseriformes Only Ukraine and Uzbekistan published quotas for wild-sourced Acipenseriformes for the period 1st March 2013 – 28th February 2014, with all of Ukraine’s quotas being zero quotas. No other range States of shared stocks published quotas for wild-sourced sturgeons (Iran published quotas for meat and caviar from aquaculture). Therefore, as per the recommendations detailed in Resolution Conf. 12.7 (Rev. CoP14), if no quotas have been communicated to the CITES Secretariat by 31st December of the previous year, “the relevant range States have a zero quota until such time as they communicate their quotas in writing to the Secretariat and the Secretariat in turn informs the Parties.” Species that potentially warrant review include: o Pseudoscaphirhynchus kaufmanni / Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan published a new quota of 20 live, wild-taken individuals for this Critically Endangered species. Therefore a review may be warranted. 2 Should more sturgeon quotas be published, further analysis may be necessary. 2.2. Other species (non Acipenseriformes) Species that potentially warrant review include: o Asio flammeus and Strix aluco / Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan published new quotas for live, wild taken Asio flammeus (30 individuals) and Strix aluco (24 individuals). However, both are considered Least Concern globally and are listed in Annex A. A final list of species for review will be agreed, pending comments from the SRG. 2.2.1. Previously reviewed species of potential concern The following species/country combinations may be of potential concern; however they have been reviewed recently and therefore a review may not be necessary at this stage: o Testudo horsfieldii / Uzbekistan: Quotas for wild and ranched T. horsfieldii were increased to 45 000 specimens each in 2013 (representing a 7 per cent increase for wild and a 50 per cent increase for ranched specimens). This follows quota increases every year since 2009. The species, considered Vulnerable globally, was reviewed for SRG 53 and at that meeting a positive opinion was formed for wild and ranched specimens from Uzbekistan. The species was reviewed as part of the Review of Significant Trade process and categorised as of Possible Concern for Uzbekistan at AC25 (July 2011). The country complied with the recommendations made by the Animals Committee and was subsequently removed from the Review. The information provided by Uzbekistan included: “...The total UZ population is estimated to be around 20 million tortoises. [...] Most collection of tortoises occurs in the Navoi province, where populations are very high (an estimated 12 million). [...]Collection zones in each province are restricted in area (less than 10 % of the total surface) and must demonstrate high population densities, usually exceeding 20 tortoises/ha. To further reduce collection pressure on wild populations, the Scientific Authority developed a 12-year rotation system [...] UZ is of the opinion that the population numbers of T. horsfieldii are high, and that an annual harvest of 1-2% is not detrimental to the wild population. The accompanying management measures and ongoing monitoring provide further assurances that the current quotas are scientifically justified and sustainable.” (SC62 Doc. 27.1 Rev. 1). o Strombus gigas / Nicaragua: In 2013, Nicaragua published quotas for 589 670 kg of meat, 261 425 kg of trimmings and 3 900 000 each