[PCA] Preparations for CITES CoP17 - Public Meeting & Public Comment Period - July 19, 2016 (Washington, DC)

Thu Jul 14 17:33:11 CDT 2016

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced
<https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/06/23/2016-14870/conference-of-the-parties-to-the-convention-on-international-trade-in-endangered-species-of-wild>
a
public meeting and a public comment period to discuss items on the
provisional agenda for the upcoming meeting of the CITES* that will be held
in South Africa in Fall 2016.

This meeting is part of the FWS regular process for encouraging public
input in the developing the U.S. negotiating positions on species proposals
and proposed resolutions, decisions, and other agenda items being
considered at the next meeting of the Parties to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Public Meeting Date/Time: July 19, 2016; 1:00 pm

Public Meeting Location:  South Interior Building (1951 Constitution Avenue
NW., Washington, D.C.) - the meeting will also be live-streamed the day of
the meeting on the CoP17 FWS webpage
<https://www.fws.gov/international/cites/cop17/index.html>

Information on the CITES agenda:

Full CoP17 Meeting Agenda here: CoP17 Agenda
<https://cites.org/eng/cop/17/doc/index.php>

All species proposals here: List of proposals to amend Appendices I and II
<https://cites.org/eng/cop/17/prop/index.php>

A *public comment period* is also open *until August 8, 2016*. You may
submit comments pertaining to items on the provisional agenda for
discussion at CoP17 by one of the following methods:

   - Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
   instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2014-0018 (the
   docket number for this notice).
   - U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn:
   FWS-HQ-IA-2014-0018; Division of Policy, Performance, and Management
   Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS BPHC;
   Falls Church, VA 22041.

Find the link for live-stream of the public meeting, learn more about U.S.
priorities, and follow US progress in CITES on our CoP17 FWS webpage
<https://www.fws.gov/international/cites/cop17/index.html>, on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/usfwsinternationalaffairs>, follow us on Twitter
<https://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl>, and subscribe to our email list
<http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=m55c7tjab&p=oi&m=1109842295756&sit=xuh7is8gb&f=ef432b49-6c63-4f48-bb53-68a4255fddfc>
.

*LEARN MORE ABOUT CITES…*

>>CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora. This international treaty entered into force in 1975
and aims to ensure that international trade of CITES-listed animal and
plant species is not detrimental to the survival of wild populations.  The
international trade of many well-known plants and animals are regulated
under CITES, such as orchids and elephants, as well as more esoteric
species, such as tree ferns and emperor scorpions.  Trade is regulated
through a system of permits used by every signatory to CITES.  The
Secretariat of CITES is administered by the United Nations Environment
Program.  Explore the international CITES website
<http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/AC_PC.php>

There are currently 182 Parties (member countries) to CITES.  The United
States was the first signatory to CITES in 1975, and Tajikistan is the
latest countries to join in 2016.  Full list of the Parties
<https://cites.org/eng/disc/parties/chronolo.php>

*In the United States…*

CITES is administered by the International Affairs Program of the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS) in coordination other agencies, such as the
National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  More
information on CITES in the United States
<http://www.fws.gov/international/cites/>

CITES permits are required for species that are listed on any of the three
CITES appendices, as well as for international trade in species listed
under the Endangered Species Act, Injurious Wildlife (Lacey Act), Maine
Mammal Protection Act and the Wild Bird Conservation Act.

Find out whether you need a CITES permit and how to get it
<http://www.fws.gov/international/permits/do-i-need-a-permit.html>

*CITES SPECIES:*

>>Under CITES, species may be listed on one of 3 Appendices
<http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/species.php>, each conferring a different
level of regulation, with the most stringent controls for Appendix I
species.  Species listed on Appendix I are threatened with extinction and
trade is permitted only under strict circumstances.  Species listed on
Appendix II are impacted by trade at a level that requires monitoring in
order to avoid threats to extinction.  Appendix III listings essentially
provides a monitoring system that allows countries to enlist assistance of
international trading partners to better understand the level of trade in
those species.  More than 35,000 species are protected in the CITES
Appendices <http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php>, including more
than 5,600 animals and 30,000 plants. Search the Checklist of CITES Species
<http://checklist.cites.org/#/en> by scientific or common name, CITES
Appendix, or country distribution.

*In the United States…*

Currently, there 514 plants and 1087 animals native or naturalized in the
United States that are listed in the CITES Appendices, and additional
CITES-species native to Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or
the U.S. Virgin Islands.  U.S.-native species include the Venus flytrap,
black coral, ruby-throated hummingbird, and humpback whale*.* Learn more
about the Appendices and U.S. species
<http://www.fws.gov/international/cites/how-cites-works.html>

*CITES MEETINGS:*

>>CITES convenes several international meetings to implement the treaty,
including:

The Conference of the Parties (CoP) – These meetings are held every two to
three years.  Decisions, Resolutions and species listings are discussed and
voted on at CoPs.  *The next meeting, CoP17, will be held in Johannesburg,
South Africa, 24 September-5 October 2016.  *Be sure to bookmark the FWS
CoP17 website <https://www.fws.gov/international/cites/cop17/index.html>,
which provides information U.S. proposals and priorities for CoP17, and for
up-to-date information, press releases, blog posts, and social media feeds
during CoP17. Click here to view CoP meeting information back to 1976
<http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/index.php>

The Plants Committee (PC) - Held annually to discuss technical and
scientific aspects of Resolutions and species listings pertaining to
plants. *The most recent meeting, PC22, was held in October 2015.  *Click
here to view PC meeting information back to 1999
<https://cites.org/eng/com/pc/index.php>

The Animals Committee (AC) - Held annually to discuss technical and
scientific aspects of Resolutions and species listings pertaining to
animals. *The most recent meeting, AC28, was held in August-September
2015.  *Click here to view AC meeting information back to 1995
<https://cites.org/eng/com/ac/index.php>

The Standing Committee (SC) - Meetings are held as needed, usually once a
year and before and after every CoP.  *The next meeting, SC62 will be held
just prior to CoP17 in October 2016.  *Click here to view the agenda for
the next meeting and previous SC meetings back to 1992
<http://www.cites.org/eng/com/SC/member.php>

*In the United States…*

>>The U.S. Delegation to CITES meetings includes people from several
federal agencies as well as a representative of the State Fish and Wildlife
Agencies.  National and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
may become an observers to a CITES meeting.  Observers at a CoP may attend
all plenary and committee sessions, and comment in these sessions on any of
the issues. However, they are not permitted to vote on proposals.  For
observers from the United States, the U.S. Government’s delegation provides
daily briefings at each COP.  U.S.-based NGOs may apply to FWS to become an
observer.  Click here to learn more about how international and U.S. NGOs
become an observer
<https://www.fws.gov/international/cites/cop17/public-participation.html>

*TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CITES…*

Learn more about U.S. priorities at CoP17 and follow our progress on the FWS
CoP17 webpage <http://www.fws.gov/international/cites/cop17/index.html>,
like us on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/usfwsinternationalaffairs>,
follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/USFWSInternatl>, and subscribe to
our email list
<http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=m55c7tjab&p=oi&m=1109842295756&sit=xuh7is8gb&f=ef432b49-6c63-4f48-bb53-68a4255fddfc>
.

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist, Division of Scientific Authority
US Fish & Wildlife Service
5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: IA
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803
703-358-1708 x 1753
703-358-2276 (FAX)

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of native plants in the United
States (Plant Conservation Alliance
<http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/fish__wildlife_and/plants/pca.html>)
and abroad (CITES <https://www.fws.gov/international/plants/>).
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