[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1923]
[Federal Register: January 28, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; Ninth Regular
Meeting; Thirty-First Meeting of the Standing Committee; Public Meeting
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) publishes the
time and place for the ninth regular meeting of the Conference of the
Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and announces a public meeting to
discuss the upcoming thirty-first meeting of the CITES Standing
Committee and agenda items for the upcoming meeting of the Conference
of the Parties.
DATES: The public meeting will be held on February 22, 1994 from 2-4
p.m. The Service will consider information and comments from the public
concerning items of concern to the ninth meeting of the Conference of
the Parties received by March 1, 1994 (except for items relating to
listing of species in the Appendices).
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Conference Room 200 of
the Fish and Wildlife Service building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,
Arlington, VA. Comments on the provisional agenda should be sent to the
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, c/o Office of Management
Authority, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, room 432, Arlington, VA 22203.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora, TIAS 8249, hereinafter referred to as CITES, is an
international treaty designed to control and regulate international
trade in certain animal and plant species which are or may become
threatened with extinction, and are listed in Appendices to the
Convention (and are available from the Office of Management Authority
at the address, above). Currently, 120 countries, including the United
States, are CITES Parties. CITES calls for biennial meetings of the
Conference of the Parties (COP) which review its implementation, make
provisions enabling the CITES Secretariat in Switzerland to carry out
its functions, consider amendments to the list of species in Appendices
I and II, consider reports presented by the Secretariat, and make
recommendations for the improved effectiveness of the Convention.
This is the second in a series of notices which, together with
public meetings, provide the public with an opportunity to participate
in the development of the United States negotiating positions for the
ninth regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (COP9).
The first Federal Register notice was published on November 18, 1993
(58 FR 60873) which detailed possible changes in the criteria for
listing species on the CITES appendices and requested comments from the
public on aspects of these changes which should be considered by the
U.S. The Service's regulations governing this public process are found
in Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations Secs. 23.31-23.39.
Notice of the Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of the
Parties
The Service hereby notifies the public of the convening of the
ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to be held in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A. from November 7-18, 1994.
Provisional Agenda for COP9
The Service will participate in the 31st meeting of the CITES
Standing Committee, and by this notice calls for a public meeting to
discuss the agenda for this meeting and items of concern for COP9. A
copy of the agenda for the Standing Committee meeting, scheduled for
March 21-25, 1994, is available from the Office of Management Authority
(see ADDRESSES, above). While it has not yet received formal notice of
the provisional agenda for COP9, the Service expects the issues noted
below to be on the agenda, which will likely follow the sample format
outlined below. A brief discussion follows of those agenda items that
may not be self-evident to the public:
I. Opening ceremony by the Authorities of the United States
II. Welcoming addresses
III. Adoption of the Rules of Procedure
IV. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair of the meeting and of Chair of
Committees I and II
V. Adoption of the Agenda and Working Programme
VI. Establishment of the Credentials Committee and Committees I and II
VII. Report of the Credentials Committee
VIII. Admission of observers
IX. Matters related to the Standing Committee
1. Report by the Chair
2. Election of new members and alternate regional members: The
Standing Committee is the governing body of CITES between meetings of
the COP. It is composed of representatives of North America (currently
Canada), South and Central America and the Caribbean (Trinidad and
Tobago), Asia (Thailand), Oceania (New Zealand), Africa (Senegal) and
Europe (Sweden), along with the Depositary Government (Switzerland),
the host of the last COP (Japan), and the host of the next COP (the
United States). The United States will attend the next Standing
Committee in its capacity as host government for the next CITES COP.
X. Report of the Secretariat
XI. Financing and budgeting of the Secretariat and of meetings of the
Conference of the Parties
1. Financial report for 1992-1993-1994
2. Anticipated expenditures for 1995
3. Budget for 1995-1997 and Medium Term Plan for 1995-2000
4. External funding
XII. Committee reports and recommendations
1. Animals Committee
2. Plants Committee
3. Identification Manual Committee
4. Nomenclature Committee
XIII. Interpretation and implementation of the Convention
It is expected that resolutions will be submitted by one or more
Parties dealing with many of these agenda items. Resolutions can only
be submitted by Parties, and must be submitted to the Secretariat by
June 10, 1994. With this notice, the United States begins the process
of receiving input from the public on possible resolutions the United
States may submit.
1. Report on national reports under Article VIII, paragraph 7, of
the Convention:
Each Party is required by the Convention to submit an annual report
containing a summary of the permits it has granted, and the types and
numbers of specimens of species in the CITES Appendices that it has
imported and exported. The U.S. CITES Annual reports are available from
the Office of Management Authority (see ADDRESSES, above).
2. Review of alleged infractions:
The Secretariat prepares an Infractions Report for each meeting of
the Conference of the Parties, which details instances that species
listed in the Appendices are being adversely affected by trade or the
Convention is not being effectively implemented, or actions by Party
countries that undermine the effectiveness of the Convention. The COP8
Infractions Report highlighted those cases of the most serious
infractions, in order to focus the attention of the Parties; the COP9
Infractions Report is expected to do the same. A future Federal
Register notice will notify the public of the availability of the
Infractions Report.
3. Exports of leopard hunting trophies and skins: This refers to
the importation of leopard skins, including hunting trophies, under a
quota system approved by the Conference of the Parties.
4. Trade in specimens of species transferred to Appendix II subject
to annual export quotas: This refers to species of crocodilians listed
in Appendix I, which have populations that have been transferred to
Appendix II pursuant to annual export quotas, which are voted upon by
the Conference of the Parties.
5. Trade in rhinoceros products:
This refers to the illegal trade in rhino horn, principally for the
Asian medicinal market. The problem has been discussed at the last two
Standing Committee meetings, will be discussed at the March 21-25
Standing Committee meeting (SC31) and is expected to be an issue of
particular concern to the Parties and a subject of discussion at COP9.
6. Trade in tiger products:
This refers to the illegal trade in tiger parts and products,
principally for the Asian medicinal market. The problem has been
discussed at the last two Standing Committee meetings, will be
discussed at the March 21-25 Standing Committee meeting (SC31) and is
expected to be an issue of particular concern to the Parties and a
subject of discussion at COP9.
7. Proposed new criteria for listing species on the Appendices: At
COP8 in Kyoto, the Standing Committee was instructed to examine the
current criteria used in listing species on the Appendices. A Joint
Committee Meeting of the Animals, Plants, and Standing Committees met
in Brussels, in September 1993, and drafted a resolution for possible
revision of the current CITES listing criteria (Resolutions 1.1 and
1.2, the so-called ``Berne Criteria''), based on a document prepared
for the Parties by IUCN, the World Conservation Union. At SC31, The
Standing Committee will review comments received from the Parties and
possibly complete a revised draft resolution for the consideration of
the Parties at COP9. Extensive discussion of this revised draft
resolution, and the entire issue of criteria for listing species in the
Appendices, will take place at COP9.
8. Trade in birds:
The trade in live wild-caught birds is an issue of great concern to
both the United States and the CITES Parties, in that the trade in many
species of birds listed in Appendix II may be detrimental to their
survival. The U.S. now prohibits the import into the U.S. of birds
listed on CITES Appendix II unless the Secretary of the Interior finds
that such trade will not endanger the survival of the species, based on
the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992. The Service is not certain
whether this item will be placed on the agenda by any Party.
9. Trade in crocodilian products:
This refers to work by the Animals Committee to institute a system
of universal marking for all crocodilian skins in trade, as a response
to serious problems of illegal trade in crocodilian skins, parts, and
products.
10. Trade in plant specimens:
Nursery registration for artificially propagated Appendix I
species, among other issues relating to plant species, will most likely
be discussed.
11. Significant trade in Appendix II species:
This refers to the trade in those Appendix II species identified as
subject to significant trade, for which insufficient biological
information exists to warrant trade at current levels. Resolution Conf.
8.9 dealt with this topic, and established a procedure for review of
the status of significantly traded species, and the implementation of
Article IV of the Convention by the exporting countries involved. It is
anticipated that this topic will be placed on the agenda for COP9 as
well.
12. Standardization of CITES permits and certificates:
This refers to the development of harmonized CITES permits.
13. Transport of live specimens:
This refers to a report by the Working Group on Transport of Live
Specimens, which is chaired by the U.S. Office of Management Authority.
The Transport Working Group met in 1993 in Senegal to assess the
implementation of requirements in the CITES treaty that live animals be
prepared without injury, damage to health, or cruel treatment. One or
more Parties that have been active in the Working Group may propose a
resolution for the Conference of the Parties dealing with species
subject to high mortality rates in transport.
XIV. Consideration of proposals for amendment of Appendices I and II:
These topics will be the subject of future notices in the Federal
Register.
1. Proposals submitted pursuant to Resolution on Ranching
2. Ten Year Review proposals
3. Proposals concerning export quotas
4. Other proposals
XV. Conclusion of the meeting
1. Determination of the time and venue of the next regular meeting
of the Conference of the Parties
2. Closing remarks
Announcement of Public Meeting
To discuss with the public the upcoming thirty-first meeting of the
Standing Committee and discuss issues to be considered at COP9, the
Service announces that it will hold a public meeting on February 22,
1994, from 2-4 p.m. in room 7000 of the Department of the Interior
building, 18th & C Streets NW., Washington, DC . Persons wishing
directions to the public meeting or additional information should
contact the Office of Management Authority in writing (see ADDRESSES,
above) or at (703) 358-2093.
Request for Information and Comments
The Service invites information and comments on the COP9 possible
agenda items discussed above and possible resolutions the U.S. may wish
to submit, excluding item XIV, ``Consideration of proposals for
amendment of Appendices I and II''. A separate Federal Register notice
has been published on these items on July 15, 1993 (58 FR 38112), which
requested information from the public on animal or plant species that
should be considered by the U.S. as possible amendments to the
Appendices. Item XIV will be the subject of two more separate notices.
Information and comments should be submitted to the Service no later
than March 1, 1994 to be ensured of consideration.
Observers
Article XI, paragraph 7 of the Convention provides:
Any body or agency technically qualified in protection,
conservation or management of wild fauna and flora, in the following
categories, which has informed the Secretariat of its desire to be
represented at meetings of the Conference by observers, shall be
admitted unless at least one-third of the Parties object:
(a) International agencies or bodies, either governmental or non-
governmental, and national governmental agencies and bodies; and
(b) National non-governmental agencies or bodies which have been
approved for this purpose by the State in which they are located.
Once admitted, these observers shall have the right to participate
but not to vote.
Persons wishing to be observers representing United States national
non-governmental organizations must receive prior approval of the Fish
and Wildlife Service. After granting of that approval, a national non-
governmental organization is eligible to register with the CITES
Secretariat to participate in the COP as an observer. Requests for such
approval should include evidence of technical qualification in
protection, conservation or management of wild fauna and flora, on the
part of both the organization and the individual representative.
Organizations previously approved by the Service shall submit a request
but do not need to provide as detailed information concerning their
qualifications as those seeking approval for the first time.
Organizations seeking approval for the first time should detail their
experience in the protection, conservation, or management of wild fauna
and/or flora, as well as their purposes for wishing to participate in
the COP as an observer. Such requests should be sent to the Office of
Management Authority (OMA; see ADDRESSES, above). Upon approval by OMA,
an organization will receive instructions for registration with the
CITES Secretariat in Switzerland. Any organization requesting approval
for observer status at COP9 will be added to the Service's CITES
Mailing List, and will receive copies of all future Federal Register
notices and other information pertaining to COP9. A list of
organizations approved for COP9 observer status will be available from
OMA just prior to COP9.
Other Meetings and Notices
The CITES Secretariat has notified the Parties that they must
submit by June 10, 1994 any draft resolutions, other documents for
consideration, proposals to register the first commercial captive-
breeding operation for an Appendix I animal species, and proposed
amendments to the Appendices. The Service plans to publish additional
Federal Register notices containing the following information: Species
it intends to propose for amendments to the CITES Appendices;
resolutions the U.S. intends to propose for consideration at COP9; a
list of resolutions and proposed amendments to the Appendices received
by the CITES Secretariat, for consideration at COP9, from other Party
governments; proposed U.S. negotiating positions on these resolutions
and proposals; and the final U.S. negotiating positions for COP9. The
Service plans to hold a public meeting in September, 1994 to receive
public input on its proposed negotiating positions.
Author
This notice was prepared by Dr. Susan S. Lieberman, Office of
Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (703/358-2093; FAX
703/358-2280).
Dated: January 24, 1994.
Bruce Blanchard,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 94-1923 Filed 1-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
