International Environmental Law Project (IELP) Goes to CITES

NOVEMBER 7, 2002

Santiago, Chile

Day five of the Conference promised to be exciting as the parties moved towards consideration of proposals to amend the CITES appendices. Immediately following the beginning of proposal consideration the level of action and movement amongst delegates and observers in the conference picked up. One of the highlights (or lowlights) of the day in Committee I was the failure of the parties to approve the transfer of the Black Sea Bottlenose Dolphin from Appendix II to Appendix I.

The proposal was introduced with an impassioned speech by Georgia that described how the species has been depleted by numerous threats including bycatch (the unintentional catching of a species in fish nets or other fishing gear), pollution and trade activities. Following the introduction the Chair opened the floor to debate. Immediately, multiple countries voiced support for the transfer. Qatar, Tunisia, and India showed support for the proposal although noting that trade was but one of the numerous threats to the dolphins. The fact that trade is only one part of the Bottlenose Dolphins problems proved to be an obstacle to the proposal garnering greater support from the parties. Many parties including Cuba, Norway, and Japan cited the fact that trade was not the main threat for why they could not support the proposal. Other delegations such as the EU and Russian Federation failed to support the proposal citing inefficient scientific data to warrant a transfer.

In the end, with no consensus in sight, the chair called for a vote. Countries voted by holding their nameplates in the air. The vote seemed way too close to call. Also obvious was the fact that a large number of countries abstained from the vote. The chair then moved for a roll call vote, supposedly a very rare occurrence in Committee I. The atmosphere was intense as the Secreteriat took the roll vote, knowing that the fate of at least 120 dolphins (the estimated number removed each year for use in public displays and for other uses) was held in the balance. Unfortunately for the dolphins and the parties and observers supporting its uplisting, the proposal failed to get the required two-thirds majority.

The failure of the Bottlenose Dolphin proposal was disappointing. However, we were able to experience some of the first real action and debate regarding animals in general and marine species in particular. There is a strong lobby against the listing of any marine species that seems to be led by Japan, Norway, and certain small island nations very concerned with the listing of whale species. Consideration of marine species by CITES promises to be one of the more contentious areas dealt with at the Conference and today was only the beginning.

Submitted by Adam Lavinthal

Links

CITES Secretariat
Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP12)