TRAFFIC

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• TRAFFICs Vision - A world in which trade in wild
  animals and plants will be managed at sustainable
  levels without damaging the integrity of
  ecological systems and in such a manner that it
  makes a significant contribution to human needs.

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Why is Wildlife Trade Important?

• Unsustainable trade threatens the survival of
  species in the wild.
• Wild species provide food, medicine, building
  materials, fuel, fodder and other basics of human
  survival.
• They also provide an important source of income
  in many rural and urban areas.

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Why do we need sound wildlife trade related
legislation?
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TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa supports the
development of this National Biodiversity Bill
and sees it as a crucial step in ensuring that
South Africas natural resources are used
sustainably and that the associated benefits are
shared equitably.
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Comments on the National Environmental Management
Act Biodiversity Bill

• Either the Biodiversity Bill or the NEMA should
  contain fundamental principles on biodiversity
  conservation.
• Proposed species listing provisions (section 55)
  should be mandatory rather than discretionary.
• Interim measures, related to lists within
  provincial legislation, should be included.

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Comments on the National Environmental Management
Act Biodiversity Bill

• As signatories to the Convention on International
  Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
  Flora (CITES), South Africa is obliged to develop
  CITES implementing legislation.
• Part Three of Chapter 4 (trade in listed
  threatened or protected species) does not satisfy
  all of the criteria for national CITES
  implementing legislation.

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Comments on the National Environmental Management
Act Biodiversity Bill

• South Africa is required to designate a CITES
  Management Authority (an authority having the
  power to grant permits, certificates and
  establish export quotas). This is not currently
  set out clearly in the Bill and needs to be
  clarified.
• The relationship between CITES-listed species and
  listed threatened or protected species is
  unclear. To satisfy the requirements for CITES,
  the list mentioned in section 55 of the Bill must
  include all animal and plant species listed in
  the three CITES Appendices.
• The list should also be susceptible to automatic
  or easy amendment so that future changes in the
  CITES Appendices are promptly reflected in the
  legislation.

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Contact Details

• Markus Burgener
• TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa
• Tel [phone]
• Cell 082 780 9938
• E-mail burgener_at_nbict.nbi.ac.za
• Website www.traffic.org