Highlights and images for 19 July 2017

Summary

AC29 reconvened on Wednesday, 19 July, meeting in parallel working groups.

The working group on Review of Significant Trade, chaired by Europe representative Vincent Fleming (UK) and North America representative Rosemarie Gnam (US), met throughout the day, discussing an exhaustive list of species/country recommendations.

Another all-day working group was held on sharks and rays, chaired by Hugh Robertson (New Zealand), Oceania representative. Topics addressed included: genetic tools and traceability measures; non-detriment findings (NDFs) in situations with data deficiencies; and strategies for sharing lessons learned on NDFs. The group developed recommendations for the AC.

The working group on sturgeons, chaired by Carolina Caceres (Canada), alternate representative for North America, met in the morning. Participants debated whether Black Sea sturgeons constitute one or several stocks, and discussed a proposed definition of “country of origin of caviar,” namely: “country in which a registered processing plant harvests roe.” Several participants expressed concerns over the proposed definition, citing cases in which fish are taken from the wild in one country and their roe harvested in another.

In the afternoon, the working group on snakes, chaired by AC Chair Mathias Lörtscher (Switzerland), reviewed the document on the conservation, sustainable use of, and trade in snakes, including the proposed guidance for CITES Scientific Authorities concerning NDFs for snakes. The group also discussed python traceability standards.

The working group on nomenclature issues, chaired by CITES nomenclature expert Peter Paul van Dijk, also met in the afternoon. Participants addressed implications of new nomenclature insights with regard to African and Asian lions, sea horses, and sheep.

IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the 29th Meeting of the CITES Animals Committee, Joint Meeting of the CITES Animals and Plants Committees, and 23rd Meeting of the CITES Plants Committee. The summary and analysis is now available in HTML and PDF.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Sean Wu
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Working Group on Review of Significant Trade

View of the dais in the working group on review of significant trade

Co-Chair Rosemarie Gnam, AC representative for North America

Co-Chair Vincent Fleming, AC representative for Europe

(L-R) Karen Gaynor, CITES Secretariat, reviewing a document with Co-Chairs Vincent Fleming, AC representative for Europe, and Rosemarie Gnam, AC representative for North America