Promoting a Sustainable Marine Aquarium Hobby
CITES Affords Protection For Potentially Threatened Marine Species
Jul 24, 2008
For marine aquarists, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is responsible for regulating most of the coral imported to the United States for the Marine aquarium trade (a little over 2000 species of Cnidarians presently). Knowing this, and understanding how it works, tthe informed aquarist can predict the ebb and flow of coral shipments to the United States based on the CITES quarterly permitting schedule. At present, only a very few marine aquarium fishes are regulated by CITES, but this may well change.
How CITES Runs
CITES signatory countries (currently 173) agree that all import, export, re-export, and introduction of species covered by CITES must be authorized through a national licensing system within each country. In the United States, the Secretary of the Interior is the managing authority with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Management Authority overseeing the administration of the licensing system. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Special Agent in Charge of Investigations is responsible for all enforcement.
Levels of Protection
Currently there are more than 30,000 species of plants and animals protected by CITES. Most (upwards of 28,000) of the protected species are plants. The rest are animals, such as coral. CITES species are afforded degrees of protection based on the health and stability of the species’ wild population. As such, a species can be listed in one of three areas—called Appendixes—under the CITES system.
- Appendix I - Appendix I species are species threatened with extinction. The trade in these species is severely limited.
- Appendix II – Appendix II species include species that, if their trade were not regulated, could become threatened with extinction.
- Appendix III – Appendix III species includes species protected in at least one country.
Procedure for Listing a Species
A species is added to particular appendices by the Conference of the Parties, which includes representatives from each participating country. The Conference of the Parties meets regularly to review proposals and reevaluate existing species’ listings. All proposals for listing a species are guided by a set of biological and trade criteria to help determine whether a species should be included in Appendices I or II. After discussion, each proposal is put to a vote. Any country can unilaterally add a species to Appendix III.
Procedure for Importing an Animal to the United States:
- In the case of Appendix II listed species of marine life bound for the U.S. marine aquarium trade, the process is as follows:
- The collection of the individual specimen(s) must not be determined to be detrimental to the species’ survival.
- Collection techniques must be deemed legal before an export permit is issued by the designated management authority in the country from which the specimen(s) is being exported.
- Once an export permit is obtained from the designated management authority in the country from which the specimen(s) is being exported, the specimen(s) must be packaged and shipped in a manner designed to minimize “any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.”
- Finally, a certificate must be issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service upon importation of the species.
A Tool Toward a More Sustainable Hobby
CITES is not a perfect system, but it is certainly better than nothing. In most cases, the wild-collected corals you see at your local fish store have been collected, packaged and shipped in keeping with CITES guidelines. While this may at times be frustrating when a particular specimen the aquarist desires cannot be obtained, overall, CITES has most certainly kept many species from becoming further threatened or extinct as a result of the international trade in animals. The conscientious aquarist understands the importance of promoting a sustainable hobby through management tools like CITES.
You can search the database of Appendix II listed species on the CITES website.
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