Whether the elephant victory at CITES today means anything for the sharks tomorrow is yet to be seen but if the interview I had with Chief Counselor of Fisheries Agency of Japan is anything to go by then I would say not. When asking him if they would be taking a more positive position with…
22 March 2010, Doha, Qatar: The vexing dilemma of our times, human needs versus that of nature ruled the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) today when a battle ensued between Parties for and against the downlisting of the African elephant as proposed by Tanzania and Zambia. Both…
Last week was nothing short of depressing for conservationists attending the CITES CoP15 Conference when the endangered polar bears and tuna failed to achieve the required two thirds vote to be accepted on CITES Appendix 1 (results:64 for, 59 against, 10 abstentions). The start of the new week promised no different for the survival of…
CITES 2010 is nothing more than a convention for protecting trade apposed to protecting wild fauna and flora from extinction. This past week the nails were knocked into the coffin of the highly endangered polar bear and Atlantic blue fin tuna when the proposals submitted by USA and Monaco respectively, were defeated. There are only…
I’m sitting in the Committee 1, listening to the debate around the Atlantic blue fin tuna proposal which has been proposed by Monaco for listing on Appendix 1, which would mean no international trade in the species. So far more countries have indicated that they will not be supporting the proposal than those that will….
I’m sorry but today I have been unable to blog what with meetings, interviews and functions all day, but will catch up tomorrow.
Today there was a chance for shark conservation to be boosted but China, Japan and Russia helped to defeat a proposal at CITES. A non binding measure called for increased transparency in the shark trade, including more research into the threat posed to sharks by illegal fishing. Supporters included South Africa, the EU, and the…
Doha, Qatar 15 March 2010 – I’m writing for local papers back home, following other issues relevant to South Africa. I will post my content the day after it is published. I attended a press conference yesterday on the following: Chief Enforcement Officer of CITES, John Sellar said: “Millions of dollars have been invested in…
Today I spoke to a delegate from Namibia, who told me that Namibia, as far as he knows has no shark finning problem at all, and that he loves shark fin soup, which he orders every time he goes to Mauritius, because it tastes so good. I went on to express both my bewilderment that…
Of the 42 proposals for amendment of Appendices I and II of CITES, those focusing on eight shark species, the iconic blue fin tuna, and downgrading the protection of the African elephant, a proposal submitted by the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia, are set to be the most contentious during the two weeks of…