09 Sep 2017 CITES ANIMALS COMMITTEE MEETING

From 18-22 July 2017, FACE attended the 29th meeting of the Animals Committee (AC) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). This was the first meeting after the Conference of the Parties (CoP), which FACE attended in Johannesburg last year. This meeting sets the priorities for the coming cycle of meetings, culminating in CoP 18 in Sri Lanka. The AC gives scientific input in all the processes involving animal species.

The meeting was attended by a wide range of government experts and NGOs, including many animal rights organisations that are interested in using CITES to restrict a range of sustainable use activities. At the meeting, participants discussed which species will be reviewed, for example, in their listing in the Appendices or regarding the sustainability of their trade.

In the review of the significant trade the lion and other trophy species were suggested, but after the recent extensive discussion before and at the CoP 17, they were discarded for a new review. In the review of the Appendices, it was decided to give particular attention to the different ovis, as suggested by the taxonomic expert.

There was also an extensive discussion on the recent proporsal by the Spanish scientific authority to develop certification schemes for trophy hunting. This would mean that EU countries deal directly with hunting areas, and bypassing national governments who should be consulted in this process. FACE also used this meeting to convene with other key-stakeholders to devise a common approach to the upcoming CoP 12 of the CMS in Manila.

Find here the reports of the meetings.