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<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>2006 Federal Register, 71 FR 9368; Centralized Library: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - FR Doc E6-2532</TITLE>
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<BODY><DOC><PRE>[Federal Register: February 23, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 36)]
[Notices]
[Page 9368-9369]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23fe06-80]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Harvest and Export of American Ginseng
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice: request for information from the public; announcement
of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a
public meeting on American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). This meeting
will help us gather information from the public in preparation for our
2006 findings on the export of American ginseng roots, for the issuance
of permits under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
DATES: The meeting date is: Saturday, March 11, 2006, 10 a.m. to 3
p.m., with a one-hour lunch break from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting location is: Sutton/Flatwoods--Days Inn, 2000
Sutton Lane, Sutton, West Virginia 26601; (304) 765-5055.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, or directions
to the meeting, contact Ms. Pat Ford, Division of Scientific Authority,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 750,
Arlington, VA 22203; 703-358-1708 (telephone), 703-358-2276 (fax), or
<A href="mailto:patricia_ford@fws.gov">patricia_ford@fws.gov</A> (e-mail).
[[Page 9369]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES, or Convention) is an international treaty
designed to control and regulate international trade in certain animal
and plant species that are now or potentially may be threatened with
extinction by international trade. Currently, 169 countries, including
the United States, are Parties to CITES. The species for which trade is
controlled are listed in Appendices I, II, and III of the Convention.
Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction that are or may
be affected by international trade. Commercial trade in Appendix-I
species is prohibited. Appendix II includes species that, although not
necessarily threatened with extinction at the present time, may become
so unless their trade is strictly controlled through a system of export
permits. Appendix II also includes species that CITES must regulate so
that trade in other listed species may be brought under effective
control (i.e., because of similarity of appearance between listed
species and other species). Appendix III comprises species subject to
regulation within the jurisdiction of any CITES Party country that has
requested the cooperation of the other Parties in regulating
international trade in the species.
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) was listed in Appendix II of
CITES on July 1, 1975. The Division of Scientific Authority and the
Division of Management Authority of the Service regulate the export of
American ginseng, including whole plants, whole roots, and root parts.
To meet CITES requirements for export of American ginseng from the
United States, the Division of Scientific Authority must determine that
the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species, and
the Division of Management Authority must be satisfied that the
American ginseng roots to be exported were legally acquired.
Since the inclusion of American ginseng in CITES Appendix II, the
Divisions of Scientific Authority and Management Authority have issued
findings on a State-by-State basis. To determine whether or not to
approve exports of American ginseng, the Division of Scientific
Authority has annually reviewed available information from various
sources (other Federal agencies, State regulatory agencies, industry
and associations, nongovernmental organizations, and academic
researchers) on the biology and trade status of the species. After a
thorough review, the Division of Scientific Authority makes a non-
detriment finding and the Division of Management Authority makes a
legal acquisition finding on the export of American ginseng to be
harvested during the year in question. From 1999 through 2004, the
Division of Scientific Authority included in its non-detriment finding
for the export of wild (including wild-simulated and woodsgrown)
American ginseng roots an age-based restriction (i.e., plants were
required to be at least 5 years old). In 2005, the Division of
Scientific Authority included in its non-detriment findings for the
export of wild American ginseng roots an age-based restriction that
plants must be at least 10 years old, and for the export of wild-
simulated and woodsgrown American ginseng roots that plants must be at
least 5 years old.
States with harvest programs for wild and/or artificially
propagated American ginseng are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West
Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Public Meeting
On Saturday, March 11, 2006, in Sutton, West Virginia, from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m., we will hold an open public meeting (a listening session) to
hear from people involved or interested in American ginseng harvest and
trade. We will break for lunch from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. We are
particularly interested in obtaining any current information on the
status of American ginseng in the wild, and other pertinent information
that would contribute to improvements in the CITES export program for
this species. We will discuss the Federal regulatory framework for the
export of American ginseng and how these regulations control the
international trade of this species. We will also discuss the different
CITES definitions as they are applied to American ginseng grown under
different production systems and how these systems affect the export of
American ginseng roots.
You may get directions to the meeting locations from the Division
of Scientific Authority or the Division of Management Authority (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or ADDRESSES). Persons planning to
attend the March 11, 2006, meeting who require interpretation for the
hearing impaired must notify the Division of Scientific Authority by
March 1, 2006 (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Author
The primary author of this notice is Pat Ford, the Division of
Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Dated: February 15, 2006.
William F. Hartwig,
Acting Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E6-2532 Filed 2-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P</PRE></BODY></HTML>