Global Fishing Industry Urges CITES Parties to Reject 3 Species Proposals and Adopt a Proposal Regarding Look-Alike Species Criteria

The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) has reviewed several trade-restrictive proposals concerning aquatic species ahead of the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). ICFA is urging Parties to reject three proposals—covering eels, sea cucumbers, and Tope Shark and Smooth-hound Sharks—and to adopt a proposal aimed at developing clear guidance on look-alike species criteria.

During this CITES meeting, countries will decide whether to add new species to the CITES Appendices, which would subject those species to international trade restrictions. ICFA has serious concerns about the three proposals under consideration, each of which could have significant implications for sustainable fisheries management, legal trade, and international cooperation. ICFA also strongly supports the proposal to create guidance on the application of look-alike species criteria, an issue that has become increasingly problematic for the fishing industry.

Earlier this summer, the FAO Expert Panel responsible for reviewing CITES proposals for aquatic species concluded that the proposals for eels, sea cucumbers, and Tope and Smooth-hound Sharks do not meet the listing criteria in most cases and present insufficient evidence in others. The CITES Secretariat reached similar conclusions in its Final Assessments, recommending rejection of the proposals on Tope Shark and Smooth-hound Sharks and on sea cucumbers, and stating that the eel proposal does not meet the criteria for Japanese Eel or American Eel.

A growing concern for the global fishing industry is the increased reliance on the look-alike species provision, which requires a lower threshold for listing and often results in broad genus-wide inclusions. These listings can produce unintended and harmful consequences, including increased illegal trade, market distortions, and the disruption of established and effective management cooperation. In many instances, such listings are premature or inappropriate. The proposal to develop clearer guidance on how look-alike criteria should be applied would therefore be a welcome and necessary step toward greater transparency and consistency.

The fishing industry recognizes and supports CITES’ mission to ensure that international trade does not threaten the survival of marine species. However, ICFA urges CITES Parties to carefully reassess the process and materials informing their voting decisions and to ensure that any actions involving commercially utilized aquatic species are based on sound science and reflect the views of the FAO Expert Advisory Panel.

“The CITES Secretariat and FAO signed an MOU in 2006 in which CITES committed to respecting FAO’s scientific expertise on aquatic species. But it is not living up to that commitment,” said ICFA Chair Ivan Lopez Van der Veen. “We have seen this time and time again. The Parties need to reaffirm their support for the MOU.”

Read ICFA’s full resolution on CITES here. 

Since 1988 the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) has been a unified seafood policy voice committed to the sustainable use of marine resources and dedicated to global food security. For more information, please visit www.fishcoalition.org