Wild animal and plant trade and protection act 2017 annual report: chapter 3

3. Assessing the risk to species from trade

3.1. Non-detriment findings

Countries exporting specimens of species listed in CITES Appendices I or II must provide a scientific determination that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species. This determination is referred to as a non-detriment finding (NDF). Some countries, such as the United States and member countries of the European Union, enforce regulations that are stricter than those of CITES, leading to a higher level of scrutiny by those countries when they are considering exports and NDFs from exporting countries.

Canada’s NDFs are consistent with a Resolution on NDFs adopted by the CITES Conference of the Parties at the 16th meeting in March 2013 (Resolution 16.7) amended at the Conference of the Parties at the 17th meeting (COP17), international guidance for CITES Scientific Authorities, and guidance provided by the CITES Secretariat.

In Canada, NDFs are determined on a permit-by-permit basis. For more heavily traded species, standing NDF reports are prepared to support the issuance of export permits. Canada’s species-specific standing NDF reports are developed following a process that involves a federal-provincial/territorial CITES Scientific Authorities working group, as well as participation and review by species experts and Indigenous peoples. Canada has standing NDFs that cover the majority of Canada’s trade including for American Ginseng, Atlantic Sturgeon, Black Bear, Bobcat, Canada Lynx, Cougar, Goldenseal, Grey Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Narwhal, Polar Bear, River Otter and Sandhill Crane. Standing NDF reports are reviewed and, if necessary, updated with the most recent information every three years.

The standing NDF report for Polar Bear was updated in 2017. The previous NDF conclusion did not allow the export of polar bears harvested from the Baffin Bay subpopulation after March 10, 2010. On July 1, 2017, in consideration of new information on population size and trends as well as on harvest quotas, it was concluded that harvest and export from the Baffin Bay management unit is non-detrimental for bears harvested before March 10, 2010 and after July 1, 2013.

ECCC, as the Canadian Scientific Authority, is updating the Canadian standing NDF report for cougar to reflect the changes made in 2016 at CoP17 in which the Eastern Cougar (Puma concolor couguar) was moved from CITES Appendix I to Appendix II. The updated report is expected to be published in 2018. The NDF conclusion will not change.

3.2. Review of significant trade in specimens of CITES Appendix II species

The Review of Significant Trade is an ongoing process of the Animals Committee and the Plants Committee of CITES to review trade in wild species listed in Appendix II to ensure trade is not detrimental to the survival of the species. Species on Appendix II are those that are not necessarily currently threatened by trade but for which trade needs to be monitored and regulated. The first step in this review process is to consider trade over the previous five years to identify species that could benefit from a detailed review. The most recent selection of species for review occurred at the 29th meeting of the Animal Committee and 23rd meeting of the Plant Committee held in July 2017. Based on volume of trade, many of Canada’s species were considered, but none were selected for in-depth review.

3.3. Periodic review of species included in Appendices I and II of CITES

The Periodic review of species included in CITES Appendices I and II, is a process adopted by the Conference of the Parties to ensure that species are appropriately listed, based on current biological and trade information. In July, 2017, during its 29th meeting, the Animals Committee selected twenty species as candidates for a potential periodic review. Two species listed in Appendix I for which Canada is a range state were selected: Branta canadensis leucopareia (Aleutian cackling goose) and Phoebastria albatrus (short-tailed albatross). Both reviews will be led by the United States, with Canada participating as required. Of the seven plant species selected for the periodic review process at the 23rd meeting of the Plants Committee, no species were selected for which Canada is a range state.