11
Nov 2008 - Beijing, China: The consumption
of threatened species is on the rise in
China again following a brief hiatus owing
to fears surrounding the SARS virus in 2003.
A survey of five southern
Chinese cities by TRAFFIC, the wildlife
trade monitoring network, found that 13
of 25 markets and 20 of 50 restaurants had
wild animals for sale. A total of 56 species
were found and, of these, eight are protected
under Chinese law and 17 are protected under
CITES, which prohibits or strictly controls
international trade.
The majority of illegal
wild animal trade was in freshwater turtles
and snakes. In China, freshwater turtles
and snakes are sold mostly for their meat
and for medicinal purposes.
The findings are included
in the TRAFFIC report entitled The State
of Wildlife Trade in China in 2007, published
today. Also found by the report is the fact
that Chinese traditional medicine trade
is growing rapidly and that China is the
world’s second largest wood importer.
“The report examines the
impact China’s consumption is having on
biodiversity and what emerging trends there
are in wildlife trade,” said Professor Xu
Hongfa, co-ordinator of TRAFFIC’s China
Programme.
The report notes that
that while Russia is currently the top supplier
of wood to China, Africa increasingly accounts
for a growing percentage which is stimulating
illegal timber trade in Africa.
“Chinese companies buying
African timber must ensure the benefits
of the timber trade are equitably shared,
right down to the African rural communities
on whose land the trees are growing,” said
Professor Xu.
Chinese traditional
medicine trade has grown at an annual rate
of 10 per cent since 2003. Most exports
($687 million-worth) go to Asia, but Europe
($162 million) and North America ($144 million)
are increasingly important markets.
Over-harvesting and
poor management of resources are looming
threats, and currently there are no standards
to ensure the sustainable collection of
wild medicinal plants.
“The trends seen in
this report that show increasing demand
in wildlife products and diminishing supply
should be a wake-up call for law enforcement,
policy makers and consumers,” said Dr. Susan
Lieberman, Director of WWF International’s
Species Programme.
“We call upon Chinese
authorities to enhance enforcement and public
education efforts, to stop illegal trade
and reduce consumption of threatened species
from around the world.”
One bright spot for
China is the fact that the illegal ivory
trade is declining. The report found that
the situation has improved since a year
earlier, with surveys showing a substantial
reduction in the number of outlets selling
ivory illegally.
“The reduction in the
illegal ivory trade is very welcome, but
we urge the authorities to remain vigilant,
particularly to ensure there is no laundering
of illegal ivory,” said Professor Xu.
The report is the second
in an annual series on emerging trends in
China’s wildlife trade, and provides up-to-date
reviews of work being carried out to prevent
illegal and support sustainable trade in
China.
Other issues examined
in the report include the illegal trade
in musk, the link between the sea cucumber
trade to Taiwan with marine biodiversity
in the Galapagos, and links between Russian
salmon fisheries and Chinese markets.
+ More
EU and Norway in cod
stalemate
10 Nov 2008 - Brussels,
Belgium: An impasse between Norway and the
European Union today has put the recovery
of North Sea cod stocks at further risk.
Unable to reach an agreement
with Norway, with which the EU co-manages
North Sea waters, the European Commission
could not issue a recommendation for quotas
of most stocks of North Sea cod when it
presented its annual recommendations for
2009 North-East Atlantic fisheries quotas.
Aaron McLoughlin, Head
of WWF’s European Marine Programme said:
“It is disappointing that the European Commission
could not set out clear recommendations
for North Sea cod stocks, whose recovery
currently hangs in the balance.
“Every year thousands
of tonnes of North Sea cod is needlessly
thrown overboard, making a mockery of the
whole quota system. As Norway is pushing
for the EU to implement tougher discard
measures, we hope that this delay in issuing
recommendations means that the Commission
is seeking a solution to the issue of discards.”
WWF believes cod stocks
will only be preserved through the mandatory
implementation of technical measures, including
the use of more selective fishing gear to
avoid catching cod in the first place, and
the avoidance of fishing in areas with large
concentrations of cod to enable the species
to recover.
“Now Norway has an opportunity
to drive a deal on tackling discards through
its negotiations with the EU over fishing
rights in the North Sea,” said McLoughlin.
“Last year the EU agreed to cut their huge
discards to 10 per cent and WWF are calling
on Europe’s fisheries ministers to honour
that commitment.”
WWF did welcome proposals
to reduce fishing effort for North Sea sole
and shrimp. The final decision on today's
proposals will be made by EU Fisheries Ministers
at the Council meeting on 17-19 December
in Brussels.
