Review of Significant Trade: Species Selected by the CITES Animals Committee Following Cop14 and Retained in the Review Following AC25
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AC26 Doc. 12.2 Annex Review of Significant Trade: Species selected by the CITES Animals Committee following CoP14 and retained in the review following AC25 CITES Project No. S-380 Prepared for the CITES Secretariat by United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre 219 Huntingdon Road Cambridge CB3 0DL United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1223 277314 Fax: +44 (0) 1223 277136 Email: [email protected] Website: www.unep-wcmc.org CITATION ABOUT UNEP-WORLD CONSERVATION UNEP-WCMC (2012). Review of Significant Trade: MONITORING CENTRE Species selected by the CITES Animals Committee The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre following CoP14 and retained in the review following (UNEP-WCMC), based in Cambridge, UK, is the AC25. specialist biodiversity information and assessment centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), run cooperatively with PREPARED FOR WCMC, a UK charity. The Centre's mission is to CITES Secretariat, Geneva, Switzerland. evaluate and highlight the many values of biodiversity and put authoritative biodiversity knowledge at the centre of decision-making. DISCLAIMER Through the analysis and synthesis of global The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect biodiversity knowledge the Centre provides the views or policies of UNEP or contributory authoritative, strategic and timely information for organisations. The designations employed and the Conventions, countries and organisations to use in presentations do not imply the expressions of any the development and implementation of their opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP or policies and decisions. contributory organisations concerning the legal The UNEP-WCMC provides objective and status of any country, territory, city or area or its scientifically rigorous procedures and services. authority, or concerning the delimitation of its These include ecosystem assessments, support for frontiers or boundaries. the implementation of environmental agreements, global and regional biodiversity information, © Copyright: 2012, CITES Secretariat research on threats and impacts, and the development of future scenarios. Contents Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................1 Tursiops aduncus....................................................................................................................................2 Balearica pavonina................................................................................................................................11 Balearica regulorum..............................................................................................................................35 Mantella aurantiaca..............................................................................................................................52 Huso huso. ............................................................................................................................................62 Hippocampus kelloggi...........................................................................................................................95 Hippocampus kuda. ............................................................................................................................110 Hippocampus spinosissimus...............................................................................................................136 Pandinus imperator ............................................................................................................................150 Tridacna spp.: ....................................................................................................................................164 Tridacna crocea ...................................................................................................................................170 Tridacna derasa...................................................................................................................................172 Tridacna gigas.....................................................................................................................................174 Tridacna maxima ................................................................................................................................177 Tridacna squamosa .............................................................................................................................178 Annex: Key to Purpose and Source Codes..................................................................................185 Introduction The provisional categorisation for each species sheet follows the criteria outlined in Resolution 12.8 (Rev. CoP13) as follows: i) ‘species of urgent concern’ shall include species for which the available information indicates that the provisions of Article IV, paragraph 2 (a), 3 or 6 (a), are not being implemented; ii) ‘species of possible concern’ shall include species for which it is not clear whether or not these provisions are being implemented; and iii) ‘species of least concern’ shall include species for which the available information appears to indicate that these provisions are being met; Trade data were extracted from the CITES Trade Database on 5th September 2011 for inclusion in this report. Export data from range States under review that were subsequently received by 25th November 2011 were also included in the report. For Huso huso, trade data held within the Caviar Database was extracted on 10th November 2011. Several countries reviewed are not currently party to CITES (e.g. Angola, South Sudan, Turkmenistan) and hence are not required to submit CITES annual reports. For this reason, available trade data may not provide a complete picture of international trade and, for some years, only data provided by importers are available. The CITES Management and Scientific Authorities (or non-Party equivalents) for each range State were contacted by post and, where possible, by email and fax in September/October 2011. Authorities were asked to provide information on conservation status, trade and management of each taxon, including the basis for making non-detriment findings. Where possible, national experts were also contacted to provide additional country-specific information. 1 Tursiops aduncus Tursiops aduncus Ehrenberg, 1833: Solomon Islands Delphinidae, Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin. Selection for Review of Significant Trade Tursiops aduncus was initially proposed for inclusion in the Review of Significant Trade by Israel at the 23rd meeting of the Animals Committee in 2008 (document AC23 Doc. 8.5.1) on the basis of proposed exports and the apparent lack of a non-detriment finding, but this was later withdrawn (AC23 Summary Record). At the same meeting, the Animals Committee encouraged the Solomon Islands to pursue research on the species’ population status, participate at an IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group meeting addressing population assessment and develop a case study for a non-detriment finding workshop in Mexico (AC23 Summary Record). T. aduncus was selected at AC24 on the basis that even low trade levels might affect the population, and the Animals Committee recommended that the Solomon Islands set a more cautious export quota (AC24 Summary Record). A. Summary Overview of Tursiops aduncus recommendations. Range Provisional Summary State category Solomon Possible The population size in the country is unclear. The Solomon Islands Fisheries Islands Concern department report population estimates of 9 738-13 775 and 12 000-15 000, however, the survey methodology is contested and there are suggestions that the population may be smaller, in the low 100s of animals. The results of monitoring recommended by AC23 is not yet available, but is due by AC26. Exports of 61 live specimens 2003-2007 were reported in the CITES Trade Database and 108 live specimens according to Solomon Islands CITES Authorities 2003-2011, 25 of which were exported in 2011. An annual quota of 50 animals was endorsed in 2009 by the Solomon Islands. Further clarity on population size, treatment of by-catch and effectiveness of protection measures is required to assess the impact of trade on the population. The Solomon Islands has previously indicated that a non-detriment finding has been undertaken, however, the basis for this has been challenged by some authors. No further information on non-detriment findings has been received through this review process from the Solomon Islands. Given the concerns raised regarding the available data, it is not clear whether or not the provisions of Article IV are being implemented and the species is categorised as Possible Concern. This categorisation may merit revision when the results of more comprehensive survey work undertaken during 2009-2011 are available for discussion by AC26. B. Species overview Biology: Tursiops aduncus primarily occurs in inshore areas with either reef, sandy or sea grass beds, commonly less than 100 m depth, and no more than 200 m depth (Wang and Yang, 2009). The species does not enter far into turbid waters of estuaries (Wang and Yang, 2009). It is generally a coastal species but there are reports of movement across deep oceanic waters (Wang and Yang, 2009). The species typically lives in relatively small groups (Reeves and Brownell, 2009). 2 Tursiops aduncus Life history information for T. aduncus is limited (Wang