CITES Takes Major Decision on Illegal Marine Turtle Trade

BY NDIMUH B. SHANCHO

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES, has come up with a decision that will enhance the conservation of some seven marine turtle species in the world.

In a Draft Decision published during the eighteenth meeting of Conference of Parties in Geneva (Switzerland), 17–28 August 2019,  CITES urged to amongst others, “ develop and/or update management and action plans for the conservation of marine turtles, raise and discuss challenges relating to illegal trade in marine turtles, collect in a standardized manner, including at different governance levels, illegal wildlife trade data, that can be used for monitoring trade in CITES-listed marine turtles; and submit comprehensive and accurate information on illegal trade in marine turtles in their annual illegal trade reports to the CITES Secretariat”.

The Organisation equally beseeched member states to improve on monitoring, detection and law enforcement activities related to marine turtles in coastal areas, marketplaces, online, maritime areas, and at the air- and seaports. Parties were further implored to collect marine turtles’ samples for DNA analysis “to determine species involved and populations of origin and provide these to forensic and other research institutions capable of reliably determining the origin or age of the samples” to enhance research, investigations, and prosecutions.

Also, parties were called upon to beef up intra- and interregional cooperation, collaboration, and exchange of actionable intelligence regarding illegal trade in marine turtles, ascertain key trade routes, methods, volumes, and trade ‘hot-spots’ using available technologies, and enforce national and international regulations or other mechanisms that apply to marine turtles take and trade. They were encouraged to improve accountability for the practices undertaken by all vessels and improve the monitoring and control related to CITES-listed marine turtles at landing sites as well as support fisheries management authorities in implementing turtle mitigation and safe handling practices amongst others.

This decision has been greeted with joy by conservation organisations around the globe. “Action by the CITES committee to address the illegal marine turtle trade was expected to be postponed until CoP19 in 2022. In an unexpected move by Parties, the committee decided to write and adopt stronger decisions now. This is a win for marine turtle conservation. It is now up to governments to effectively implement these decisions and ease the pressure from illegal trade so that we no longer see population declines,” WWF reacted in a release on its website.

WWF calls on CITES Parties to continue the progress made at CoP18 and secure a future for marine turtles.

Four species of sea turtles occur in Cameroon including the Olive Ridley, leatherback, hawksbill, and green sea turtles.