19.228 to 19.232 Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.)

Decision directed to
19.228
Decision directed to:
Secretariat

The Secretariat shall:

a) subject to external funding, collaborate with Parties and species experts to prepare a report on the global illegal trade in seahorses, for consideration by the Standing Committee. The report should include an analysis of extracted data from the CITES illegal trade database, consultations with regional enforcement networks as applicable, analysis of illegal trade routes, modus operandi and seizures, and information contained in the studies prepared in response to Decision 18.229 paragraph c) i); and

b) report on implementation of paragraph a) of the present Decision to the Standing Committee at its 77th and 78th meeting.

19.229
Decision directed to:
Source, transit, and consumer Parties for which there is evidence of illegal and/or unsustainable international trade in dried seahorses

To effectively implement the inclusion of seahorses in Appendix II of CITES, source, transit, and consumer Parties for which there is evidence of illegal and/or unsustainable international trade in dried seahorses are encouraged to:

a) collaborate with key stakeholders and species experts to develop national or regional plans of action to improve CITES implementation for seahorses and should include the following, inter alia:

i) encouraging collaboration and communication between key stakeholders at a national and regional level, including Environment, Fisheries and Enforcement agencies, with respect to CITES implementation and data gathering for the international trade in seahorses;

ii) improving monitoring, detection and law enforcement activities related to seahorses in coastal areas and at transaction points (e.g. in the marketplace, online, in maritime areas, and at air- and seaports);

iii) submitting comprehensive and accurate information on illegal international trade in seahorses in their annual illegal trade reports to the Secretariat, as required in compliance with Resolution Conf. 11.17 (Rev. CoP19) on National reports, and in support of Decision 19.228, paragraph a);

iv) addressing the main drivers of illegal and unsustainable trade by effectively regulating and constraining the operations of non-selective fishing gears, such as bottom trawls and gillnets, to reduce their impacts on seahorses, and combating illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing of seahorses by developing best practices for sustainable harvest; and

b) share progress in developing and implementing these national or regional plans of action with the Secretariat for its report to the 33rd meeting of the Animals Committee.

19.230
Decision directed to:
Parties, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations
Parties, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations are encouraged to provide financial and technical assistance to Parties to implement Decision 19.229 and any further recommendations made by the Standing Committee.
19.231
Decision directed to:
Animals Committee

The Animals Committee shall:

a) in consultation with species experts, analyse and review the results of any activities under Decisions 19.228 and 19.229, the report produced under Decision 18.229, paragraph c) i), and other relevant available information;

b) develop recommendations to the Parties, the Secretariat, and relevant stakeholders, as appropriate, to ensure sustainable and legal international trade in seahorses;

c) consider recommending seahorses as a case study to the 2nd international expert workshop on non-detriment findings; and

d) report on the implementation of the present Decision to the Standing Committee, as appropriate.

19.232
Decision directed to:
Standing Committee

The Standing Committee shall:

a) analyse and review the results of any activities under Decisions 19.228 and 19.229, the report produced under Decision 18.229 paragraph c) i) and, as appropriate, the report of the Animals Committee produced in support of Decision 19.231;

b) develop recommendations to the Parties and the Secretariat, as appropriate, to strengthen CITES implementation and enforcement for international trade in seahorses; and

c) report on the implementation of Decisions 19.228 to 19.232 to the Conference of the Parties at its 20th meeting.