The 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20) will take place from from Nov. 24–Dec. 5 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
WCS is a strong supporter of CITES, and has staff who have attended all meetings of the Conference of the Parties since CoP7 in 1989. We will be represented by many international wildlife and policy experts at CoP20.
Sharks and rays are some of the ocean’s most iconic species, but they are in crisis. In Samarkand, Uzbekistan, governments will decide whether or not to give certain shark and ray species the highest level of international trade protections.
“CoP20 is a test of global will,” said WCS’s Luke Warwick. “Species like oceanic whitetip sharks, manta rays, and whale sharks cannot withstand commercial trade. The science is unequivocal, and the tools and support to implement CITES already exist for governments once listings pass.”
“They have survived volcanic eruptions, droughts, and isolation over millennia, but they are now up against threats they cannot withstand alone,” said Sebastian Valdivieso, Country Director for WCS Ecuador.
We are urging the Parties at COP20 to oppose Proposal 3, which would lift the zero-export quota for wild saiga from Kazakhstan and allow international commercial trade in saiga horns.
A new global study co-authored by WCS reveals strong conservation progress in implementing international trade protections for sharks and rays under at a rate and scale that was previously lacking, particularly in biodiverse regions such as the global tropics.
“CITES Parties have a critical opportunity at this meeting to choose the future we want for wildlife. We cannot allow short-term commercial interests to reverse conservation successes or threaten recovering species such as the saiga,” said WCS’s Dr. Susan Lieberman.
As governments from across the globe decide on the future of a broad swath of species subject to international trade, lets spare a thought for the less charismatic, writes WCS's Susan Lieberman.
WCS scientists helped reveal where the American eel begins its life. Now, it’s up to all of us to make sure the journey continues, says WCS's Jake LaBelle.