Nepal takes measures to abide by CITES regulations

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Govt approves CITES draft

 

by AKANSHYA SHAH

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details & news_id=18435

 

KATHMANDU, May 10: The government has principally approved the CITES draft

bill in order to bring effective implementation of wildlife law to control

illegal trade to and from the country.

 

The cabinet meeting on Friday passed the draft bill tabled by the Ministry

for Forest and Soil Conservation. The bill has been prepared as the National

Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973, is perceived to be inadequate in

incorporating major aspects of CITES (the Convention on International Trade

in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The 1973 Act came into being

before the CITES entered into force in 1975.

 

“The government´s decision is a welcome one as CITES bill incorporates many

aspects of wildlife trading that is not protected by the 1973 Act,” Dr Ravi

Sharma Aryal, a CITES expert, said.

 

According to Dr Aryal, a separate CITES regulation will make it easy for the

concerned authorities to take stringent measures against illegal activities

like poaching, trans-boundary trading, farming, and licensing system. The

existing Act does not include all the animals and birds listed in CITES

Appendixes.

 

“One important aspect of the bill will be to bring all endangered,

threatened and protected animals and birds listed in the CITES into a legal

framework,” Aryal said.

 

While Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction, Appendix II

includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction but in which

trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with

their survival, and Appendix III contains species that are protected in at

least one country which has asked other CITES parties for assistance in

controlling the trade.

 

Endangered animals included in 1973 Act are rhinoceros, tiger, elephant,

musk deer, clouded leopard and snow leopard only. Article 5 states that

killing of these animals or purchase or selling of rhinoceros horn or

musk-pods or the fur of snow leopard as well as trophies of any other

protected wildlife is punishable with a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs

100,000. In addition, it does not specify any protected birds´ name.

 

The CITES, on the other hand, is an international agreement between

governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of

wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. The multi-billion

dollar trade is diverse, ranging from live animals and plants to a vast

array of wildlife products derived from them, including food products,

leather goods, wooden musical instruments, timber, tourist curios and

medicines.

 

Illegal trade has led to habitat loss, bringing some species close to

extinction. Nepal is a hub for illegal trade in tiger parts and rhino horns

mostly.

 

At present, CITES accords varying degrees of protection to more than 30,000

species of animals and plants, whether they are traded as live specimens,

fur coats or dried herbs.

 

CITES was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting

of members of IUCN (The World Conservation Union). The Convention was

finally agreed at a meeting of representatives of 80 countries in the US in

1973, and on July 1, 1975 CITES entered in force.

 

Although not legally binding, CITES provides a framework to be respected by

each party to the Convention to ensure that it is implemented at the

national level. There are 175 parties to it.

 

Published on 2010-05-10 01:56:33